AN annual apple festival returned to Ulverston yesterday to delight families from Furness and beyond.

Apple fever swept across Ford Park as young and old enjoyed a host of activities.

The day was also a chance for budding growers to seek advice from the experts.

Sarah McCormack, head gardener at Ford Park, said: "It's brilliant. We were worried about the weather but there's a lovely atmosphere and lots of musical entertainment as well as the apple pressing.

"It's great to see people coming out. We couldn't be on the field this year because of how wet it is, but it's given us this market street feel right around the cafe itself, so it's lovely.

"There's lots of food stalls, including cakes for sale that have been made with our own apples."

Cat Moffatt, volunteer supervisor, said: "It's gone really, really well. There's been a slightly different feel this year because of the wet weather and we've had to concentrate everything at one end but it's given us a sort of village feel, rather than being spread out on the field.

"It's becoming more and more important to grow your own. I could go on about the state of the planet but it's really great to see something through from planting something to growing it and eating it.

"I think because it's so easy to go to supermarkets and buy it, sometimes people don't understand the process that goes into it all. It's really great for children to have that education. Their apple isn't just there, there's a whole growing process around it.

"Quite a lot of people will come and say they've got an apple tree in their house that's been there since they moved in but they don't know how to look after it. They can get some expert advice about what kind of apples they are and how to look after them."

There was even advice for what to do after juicing.

Ms McCormack said: "What's leftover is off to our compost space to make really good compost with.

"One of our volunteers is a master composter who is educating the public about how to do it.

"You have to be careful to layer it so you haven't always got loads of one thing. We're layering it with hedge clipping and cardboard and things that rot down but we like to get the right balance so it's a good environment for microrganisms to break it down for us."