Some of the first strawberries of the season are ripening up in north Essex.

The fruit is expected to be ready to pick within days and could be on the supermarket shelves in Colchester by next weekend.

They will be part of the first crop of English berries on sale this year.

The early harvest at Walling's Nursery, in Lawford, is thanks to the entire plot being covered by glass, said manager Chris Barber.

After nine years at the farm, he says this mid-April crop could be the earliest yet.

"The warm weather has certainly helped and pushed growth on a little. We normally expect to get them into the stores towards the end of April, this is as early as its ever been," he said.

By the end of the season in May, 350 tonnes - a staggering one and a half million punnets - are likely to have been picked on the Lawford site.

The lion's share will go to Tesco, sending the fruit to stores across the south, added Mr Barber.

A spokeswoman for the national food chain said Colchester residents would be the envy of the nation, as growers in the area had won the annual race for the first crop.

Traditional outside growers will have their fruit on the market by June.

Published Tuesday, April 9, 2002