TRULL Primary School won the regional category of the Potato Council’s Grow Your Own Potatoes competition by growing the heaviest crop of spuds in the South-West.

The pupils from Elm Class cultivated 4.5kg of potatoes from their three seed potatoes supplied by Branston Seed – more than any of the other 2,720 schools in the region.

They were presented with a limited edition spade and a bench by Ian Wait, general manager of Branston’s South-West site in Ilminster, who said: “GYOP is a really valuable initiative which teaches primary-aged children about potatoes.”

Jessica Wintrip, Elm Class teacher, said: “As a school we think it’s really important that children know how their food’s grown and where it comes from.

“The children absolutely loved the whole process and the delight on their faces was clear to see when they harvested the potatoes.

“They also kept a potato diary and kept an eye on the weather, so if it was dry they would water the plants, and it gave them a real sense of ownership.

“Once they were harvested we washed and cooked them to eat, and even the children who were a little reluctant at first tried them.”