Melons growing in the heart of the Midlands

A crop of exotic fruit - more used the hot climates of the Mediterranean or Caribbean - is growing in the heart of the Midlands.

Watermelons will be harvested for the first time at a farm near Lichfield at the end of this month..

Farmer Stephen McGuffie has devised a system of polytunnels to enable him to grow the fruit at New Farm, Elmhurst.

The crop will be supplied to Marks & Spencer stores across the country..

Mr McGuffie, whose family have farmed at Elmhurst for half a century, visited melon farmers in Spain, observing their crops before developing his own system to replicate their prolific growing techniques.

The award-winning grower is also successfully producing cantaloupes at 200-acre New Farm which also has its own farm shop on the A515 selling strawberries and raspberries.

Stephen and his brother David took over the business from their father Ron. It produces 800 tonnes of strawberries annually and also grows asparagus and cherries after planting 1,300 cherry trees this year. The family have won a series of awards including soft fruit grower of the year in 2003.

"Temperature is key to getting the melons to grow quickly and get to a decent size," said Stephen.