British strawberries on sale TWO months early

THE first British-grown strawberries of the year will arrive in supermarkets this weekend after the recent unseasonably warm temperatures.

The berry season officially starts on May 1, but glasshouse-grown varieties have been helped by the mild winter and recent high light levels. Waitrose said it will stock the Lusa variety grown by Lancashire-based Medlar Fruit Farms from Saturday.

Early strawberries are grown in the warmer climates of Kent, Sussex and Wales, but computerised glasshouse technology is allowing producers in Lancashire and Scotland to be the first to deliver fruit to retailers.