STUDENTS at Wylye Valley Primary School who planted a small orchard of apple trees have been making their own fruit juice.

The Year 6 pupils used the Codford community apple press to make enough apple juice for all the school to enjoy.

Earlier in the year the same students took part in the Pippin Project which involved planting a small orchard of ten different apple varieties in the school grounds.

Julie Shrapnell of Wylye Valley Primary School said: “Since the trees are too young to bear fruit this year, apples were kindly offered by Colonel Mike Elcomb, and two wheel barrows full were duly picked and wheeled back to school by the children.

“After washing the apples, they were tipped into the electric crusher to make pulp. Next, the pulp was scooped into the press, which uses mains water pressure to squeeze out the delicious, sweet, pure apple juice.

“Everyone agreed it tasted better than any ‘shop’ apple juice and was a great follow-on from planting the school orchard, which should hopefully begin bearing fruit next year.”

The community apple press in Codford enables people in the village and surrounding area to press their spare apples either for cider or apple juice