Man eats mum's 22-year-old mince pies

Richard Newson says having one of his mum's mince pies is "the start" of his Christmas

A man has been eating one of his late mother's mince pies every Christmas for more than two decades.

Fleetwood man Richard Newson's parents died within days of each other just before Christmas in 2002.

When he was clearing out their home, Mr Newson found in the freezer a batch of pies, which his mother Marlene would bake every year.

He said he ate one at the beginning of December every year and that it brought back fond memories of his mother, Marlene.

There are 19 of his mother's mince pies left

"My mum and my dad loved Christmas. That is where I got my love of Christmas from.

"She was an avid baker, and the week before Christmas she went round to the hairdressers she used, the butchers and the baker... and gave them all a dozen mince pies to say thank you for the year."

Mr Newson's mother, Marlene, always baked a batched of mince pies for Christmas

When Mr Newson discovered a batch of her mince pies he decided to thaw one out and try it.

"It dawned on me I could do this every year, but I didn't actually grasp the fact there were 43 of them.

"I've got 19 left, so with one a year for the next 19 years, I'll be 76," he said.

Mr Newson said his wife will not join in with his Christmas tradition.

"She won't partake with a normal mince pie never mind one that is 22 years old," he added.

The Food Standards Agency said frozen food can be "stored indefinitely but the quality and taste may degrade over time".