AN apple a day keeps the crunch away – especially when they’re free!

A Hampshire tourist attraction is giving away hundreds of apples to the public including some varieties that are not available in the shops.

Houghton Lodge Gardens, near Stockbridge, has a glut of apples and the property’s owners Anthea and Captain Martin Busk are now offering them to anyone who would like them free of charge.

Mrs Busk said: “There are 32 varieties.

Many of the varieties, both cookers and eaters are unfamiliar and cannot be bought at the supermarket.

“They have some really fancy names too, such as Peasgood Nonsuch or American Mother and they make wonderful apple juice as well as apple pies and crumbles but there are far too many just for us.

“Perhaps there are some cidermakers in the Test Valley? We would welcome anyone who would like to come and help themselves to them.”

Some of the varieties of apples have stood the test of time and date back two centuries.

Mrs Busk added: “Some of them are extremely old and have had to be pruned little by little over the years to get them back into shape.

“An old advertisement for the sale of the house in 1799 mentions that ‘it is well stocked with fruit trees’”.

Houghton Lodge Gardens is open to the public daily between 10am and 5pm until the end of the month when it closes for the winter.

However, anyone planning to visit the gardens on a Wednesday is advised to telephone 01264 810912 in advance as the day is usually reserved for group visits.

Entry into the garden costs £5 but there is no charge for children.