Community group buys town icon's orchard at auction

Tara Joy and Serena Roney-Dougal successfully bid for the land at auction

An orchard belonging to a town's local icon, who was known as 'the Egg Man', has been bought at auction by a community group.

Glastonbury farmer Wilfred Peddle, who made a living selling eggs from the back of his Morris Minor van, died in June 2025 at the age of 74, leaving behind the land without a will.

The Friends of St Edmund's Well wanted to purchase the space to preserve the orchards for the community, fearing it would be sold off to developers.

The community interest group (CIC) paid £62,000 for the land, having raised the money as part of a crowdfunding effort.

Serena Roney-Dougal said Wilf's memory is 'very dear' to Glastonbury residents

Serena Roney-Dougal, the secretary of the CIC, said the group was "celebrating" following their success.

She said: "I've watched it [the land] over the years and loved the wildlife, the badgers and the foxes. We've saved it, we've protected it, we've got it - it won't be developed.

"We can know that it is safe for the residents to enjoy."

She added she had been "shaking like a leaf" during the bidding, but felt the room was behind their project to keep the space for the community.

Ms Roney-Dougal said once the purchase was complete, they would turn their attention to the apple harvest, and begin to arrange opens days on the land.

"We've got a real good record of Wilf, and his memory is very dear in our hearts," she said.