DUNSTER youngsters had a hand in ensuring a bumper crop of apples for this year's harvest when they took part in a mini wassail at the village's Buttercross Community Orchard yesterday morning (Thursday).

Twelve members of the first school's Eco Action team joined staff and community orchard committee members for the traditional ceremony.

Following the centuries-old custom, the pupils dipped pieces of toast in apple juice before tying them to the branches of some of the apple trees in the orchard.

And along with the adults they then sang a number of traditional wassailing songs, toasted the trees with apple juice and made lots of noise.

The event was a warm-up to the village's main wassailing ceremony held later in the evening.

Local residents turned out to take part in the annual chanting and singing to the trees for the year to come.

But apple juice was replaced with mulled cider for the 'grown up' version of the event, which also included the firing of shotguns to ward off any demons wanting to damage the trees.

Headteacher Peter Hoyland said the school had been delighted to be asked to take part in the event.

"The children really enjoyed participating in their own mini wassailing ceremony and loved joining in with the wassailing songs and making lots of noise to help ensure a good crop of apples on the trees."

Photo: Steve Guscott