With gardeners getting set for bumper crops this autumn taking the theme Bring Home the Harvest, a campaign by Surrey publicans Jon and Paula Briscoe aims to combat waste by putting excess produce to good use.

Since the couple introduced a Cash4Crops scheme three years ago, Jon estimates they have paid over £800 to customers bringing in a variety of apples, pears, plums, marrows, berries and even unusual varieties of squash.

The produce is used in the kitchens of their two pubs, The Fox Revived at Norwood Hill in Horley and The Jolly Farmers at Betchworth.

Jon said: “The initiative is all about making good use of all those freshly gathered goodies by encouraging locals to swap their excess fruit and vegetables for credit at our pubs.

"It’s really great to see youngsters coming in - only last week a schoolgirl arrived with a huge bag of plums that she had picked from the tree in her garden.

"There were just too many for the family to eat and she’d heard about our scheme so she brought them to us. That’s exactly what Cash4Crops is all about.”

To participate, take your excess produce into either of the pubs where it will be weighed and swapped for dining vouchers.

To find out more, visit www.TheFoxRevived.co.uk