A community orchard will be planted in West Cumbria.

Maryport Round Table, a social group for men aged 18 to 45, was granted the permission to start the orchard in the Mote Hill area of the town.

“Our orchard will be planted before the spring and will provide the Maryport community with apples and pears for years to come,” a spokesperson from the group said.

They added that fruit-picking days will come in the late summer, while there not being much produce expected in the first two years.

The orchard will include apples like golden delicious and granny smith, as well as conference pears, along with 10 ‘local heritage varieties’ like Keswick codlin and Egremont russet, the group said.

“We are hoping that, in the future, we can plant more trees in the area, bringing more woodland, habitats for wildlife, and plenty of help for pollinators as well as providing for the aspiring cider makers of the town,” they said.

Describing the role of such an orchard, the spokesperson said: “Just as traditional orchards were often the centre of village life and a cornerstone of the rural economy, community orchards are excellent places for people to come together to plant and cultivate local and unusual varieties of fruit trees and to use as the focal point for community activities such as picnics, or as a green haven in which to relax.”