ASPARAGUS grown near Worcester is being stocked at a local supermarket, four weeks earlier than usual.

Tesco in Evesham has received its first batch of the vegetable grown at Hillhampton Nursery in Great Witley, near Worcester.

As previously revealed in your Worcester News the growers produced 500 tonnes of asparagus by using glasshouses with an underground heating pipe passing hot water under the plants, three months ahead of England's official growing season.

Simon Dryell, Tesco's senior buying manager for the Midlands, said: "The first asparagus of the year is highly significant to British fruit and vegetable growers because it marks the start of the UK growing season and heralds the arrival of spring.

"Asparagus lovers all around the UK will want to get their hands on the first batch as the British variety is said to be the best in the world."

The nursery will initially be supplying the Evesham store before rolling it out to other branches in the area and the UK.