A HAMPER of local food was delivered to the Houses of Parliament yesterday (Wednesday) to give MPs the chance to taste what West Devon has to offer.

Pupils from St Andrew's Primary School and students from Tavistock College made the journey by train on National Apple Day.

The aim of the day was to celebrate the bicentenary of the Bramley apple as well as educate young people about local food and its sustainability.

It is also an opportunity to celebrate ten years of the community orchard in Buckland Monachorum and encourage more planting of orchards.

The event was organised by Celia Steven, who is the great grand-daughter of Henry Merryweather who developed the Bramley apple.

Ms Steven said: 'Apples are so versatile — you can eat them fresh, use them in cooking, for apple juice and cider and the key to the survival of these local varieties is educating young people.'

Ms Steven organised the event with the help of First Great Western, which will start serving Bramley apple crumble and custard on its trains in celebration of the historical landmark.

Barbara Fletcher, on-board service development manager for First Great Western, said: 'We're so pleased to be able to support this great event by putting Bramley apples on our menu. We're sure they'll be a huge hit with our customers.

'As well as this we're looking to introduce the dessert as a permanent feature on our winter menu later this year.'

The pupils travelled on the 6.55am train from Plymouth to London Paddington.

Master chef Peter Gorton, of the Horn of Plenty in Gulworthy, made a spiced apple cake for the hamper. The pupils from St Andrew's School produced a Bramley apple pie as their contribution

• A GOLD award winning establishment presented a home-made apple cake to local students who were taking a hamper of goodies to the Houses of Parliament yesterday (Wednesday).

Some pupils made the journey to London with the aim of celebrating the bicentenary of the Bramley apple and showing MPs what West Devon has to offer. Youngsters went with Celia Steven, the great grand-daughter of Henry Merryweather who developed the Bramley apple.