CALLS are being made for Worcestershire to become a UK-leader in blackberry picking - in the hope it could boost tourism.

Council chiefs are being lobbied to start actively promoting the county as a place to come and see the fruit at its spectacular best.

Councillor Richard Udall, who is the Labour Party's county spokesman for rural affairs, says unlike so much of England where hedgerows have been in decline, Worcestershire still offers a top class environment for it to thrive.

He says Worcestershire County Council should consider pulling together a budget for promoting the area as a place to see and pick the very best of them.

As well as providing free food, he also believes it would encourage more people to go on walks, using blackberry picking as an activity to enjoy along the trip.

"There is something wonderful about coming back from a country walk with a harvest of free food," he said.

"A walk in the country is usually good enough by itself but if you can add a purpose and a reward it can make the perfect day.

"Towards the end of August and in early September the hedgerows are a natural larder, and one of the most bountiful and delicious free fruit of all is the humble blackberry."

Over the last 50 years many hedgerows have been lost due, particularly due to modern farming methods and new development, but the county council still owns 3,300 acres of farm land, smallholdings or country parks.

Councillor Udall added: "Our countryside service is responsible for hundreds of miles of public rights of ways. "We should do more to encourage our tenant farmers to keep and produce new hedgerows.

"We should use our own country parks to plant new blackberry bushes and we should produce a guide to promote the best routes and best walks where blackberries can be picked.

"Worcestershire never promotes itself in a positive light, we have one of the best preserved hedgerows and blackberry walks in the nation.

"We should tell people about it, it would attract visitors to the countryside, encourage healthy eating and more people could enjoy the free harvest of fruit."

The Conservative cabinet is not meeting again until September, nor is the full council.

Councillor Anthony Blagg, the cabinet member for the environment, said: "I would encourage people to source local food and make use of our wonderful countryside, but would warn against picking from roadside verges due to safety reasons.

"I would also suggest that you make yourself aware that you have not wandered onto private land and keep children supervised at all times."

The suggestion comes a month after the county council agreed to back an important environmental move to make Worcestershire a landmark county for bee protection.

The cabinet wants to designate Worcestershire a 'Pollinator Friendly County' so it creates the right habitat for the endearing creatures to thrive.