Pick-your-own event off as fruit eaten by birds
The blackbirds cleared the fruit from about 80 trees, the National Trust said
At a glance
An event where people can pick their own cherries has been cancelled after blackbirds "feasted" on the trees
It had been due to take place on 28 June at the National Trust's Cotehele medieval house
Laura Jarman from the National Trust said the birds were "so cute, we don't mind too much"
- Published
A pick-your-own cherries event at a National Trust property in Cornwall has been cancelled after blackbirds ate all the fruit.
Due to be held on 28 June the event was set to span over five days at Cotehele, a medieval house and grounds in Calstock.
But Laura Jarman from the National Trust said 80 trees had been cleared of cherries as they had been "feasted on by very cheeky blackbirds".
She said the cherry orchards had been blossoming since 2004, but in the last few years there had been a larger amount of cherries.
The event was due to be held at Cotehele in Calstock
Ms Jarman said: "We've been very excitedly planning our pick-your-own cherries at Cotehele.
"On Monday we were getting the planning in place and checking the cherries were ripening and Wednesday morning the gardener came to tell me they'd all gone.
"Eighty trees' worth of cherries have been feasted on by the very cheeky blackbirds."
She added: "They're so cute. we don't mind too much."
Ms Jarman said they were still planning to hold an apple picking event later in the year.
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