A SIX-ACRE glasshouse, the biggest single structure in the Vale of Evesham and involving an investment of £1.5m, houses a unique system of tomato growing - hydroponically - without soil - on hanging gutters.

The Holt family of Rick, wife Laura and son Roly, are growing tomatoes, picked mainly on the vine, for major supermarkets, using the most modern technology in horticulture, including computer-controlled environment, use of bugs to combat disease, bees for pollination and recycling water, in the new greenhouse at Hornsfield Nurseries in Willersey Road, Badsey.

"We grow the tomatoes in solution that is pumped round the green house," Mrs Holt explained.

"The plants are put on polythene that is laid on our hanging gutters designed by Rick and produced in Holland to suit our method of production and the slope we needed to get the solution flowing at a steady rate."

She added: "The hanging gutters mean that picking will be at a higher height than in our current greenhouses at Sandylands Nurseries, Offenham, and so easier and less back breaking."

Tomato plants have had to be bought in because a planning condition banned the use of lights at the nursery to propagate their own plants.

Although computers control much of the process, the work is still very labour intensive and Mrs Holt said: "The pipework involved has been estimated at a distance of Badsey to Stratford and back.

The glasshouse is being planted with 50,000 plants, a mixture of cherry and plum, and the number will be increased by up to two thirds from shoots. Production is expected to continue until November.

The opening of the greenhouse was marked during British Tomato week with the launch of 200 helium balloons.

Anyone finding one can send a card to the British Tomato Growers Association and get a new cookbook with recipes using tomatoes.