Community orchard with fruit for residents planted in Tamworth

Once the trees have grown, people will be able to help themselves to fruit

A new community orchard will enable residents to walk in and help themselves to produce.

The orchard, at Wigginton Park in Tamworth, Staffordshire, contains more than 360 apple, pear, plum, damson, gage and quince saplings.

When it is fully established people will walk through a flower covered meadow to help themselves to fruit.

A spokesman said the variety of new trees will have a big impact on the park's biodiversity.

Tamworth Borough Council and Forest Mercia Community Interest Company (CIC) were involved in making the scheme happen.

Dave Knowles, from Forest Mercia CIC, said: "The variety of trees that have been planted will have big impact on the biodiversity of the park through their flowers and fruit."

He said there was a "wide variety" of fruit types and encouraged people to try the full range when they were ready.

The orchard was paid for with funding from Defra and is around one hectare (2.47 acres) in size.