NEGLECTED orchards in the North York Moors National Park are being brought back into production with the help of a local charity.

Adults with learning disabilities from Northdale Horticulture, in Northallerton, are being trained to give the orchards a new lease of life.

A team from Northdale is at work in three locations in the park, and in the Howardian Hills, picking, grading and packaging produce for local sale.

They are also making jams and preserves from the fruit.

The North York Moors National Park Authority has supported the pilot project with a grant. The scheme employs horticultural consultant Barry Potter.

He said the trial is leading the way in conservation of UK orchards because it goes beyond the restoration of the trees by making better use of the produce.

The results of the trial will feed into a wider study into the ways in which fruit distribution from local orchards can be improved.

"The project in the North York Moors may be pioneering something that could be copied across the country," said Mr Potter.

"Restoring and conserving orchards has many benefits, not least that they are producing locally-grown foods for local consumers.

"Often, it is not commercially viable for farmers, who are busy with their main crop harvest, to pick apples and plums in their orchards when they cannot compete with supermarket prices.

"With this project we are conserving productive orchards for the future."

Simon Cross, manager of Northdale Horticulture, said: "This is a great opportunity for the trainees to get out and learn new skills in fruit harvesting grading and packaging, as well as pruning and looking after the trees."