THIS year's Bere Apple Fest will be opened on Saturday, October 5 by Tony Beard, the 'Wag from Widecombe'.

Tony is a keen preserver of Devon life and culture, is an accomplished entertainer and is known 'round these yer parts' as the 'Wag from Widecombe'.

The Apple Fest takes place from 1pm to 5pm at the Church Hall, Bere Ferrers. Activities will include apple pressing, advice on grafting and pruning, competitions for young and old alike and an apple pie baking competition. Bakers will compete for the first prize — a superb meal at Robertson's Organic Restaurant in Tavistock, which is sponsoring the competition, to be judged by Seth and Sally Robertson.

As well as the children's section in the pie baking competition, there is usually a prize for the best 'animal' made out of an apple and the longest apple peel competition.

There is also a supervised hand-operated apple crusher that children can use to chop up their apples.There will also be the usual fantastic raffle, the main prize of which is a pair of first class return tickets to anywhere on the First Great Western network.

Dartmoor Border Morris will be on hand to demonstrate various Morris dances in the road, weather permitting. There will also be a musical interlude from the Tavy Tars and possibly guests.

Meanwhile, the main activity of the day is crushing and pressing apples to make juice.

The group uses an electric crusher, and a hydraulic press.

Visitors are invited to bring their own clean apples with juice containers and, for a small fee, the apples are crushed and juiced and then taken away by the visitors.

The surplus profit from the day will be donated to Devon Air Ambulance and St Lukes Hospice.

Further information can be obtained from either Bev Slaughter at [email protected]">[email protected] or Brian Lamb at [email protected]">[email protected] ( 01822 841309).