Bun fun - what was hot and what's not!

As we wander down the high street, in the lead up to Easter weekend, we will be tempted by hundreds of eggs and chocolate novelty items.

As the day for munching approaches, I decided to find out what Easter delights were up for grabs in Worcestershire.

Cromwells chocolates, a family business in Church Street, Upton-upon-Severn sells chocolate eggs ranging from £2.95 to £39.99.

The most expensive eggs are 35cm high, and placed in a basket with Happy Easter written in white chocolate across them.

Made from either white or dark chocolate, they include little Easter eggs and other chocolates.

The shop also sells a variety of chocolate bunnies, ranging from 65p to £75.

For those feeling particularly lavish, the £75 bunny, which is around 2ft high, is made from nine layers of chocolate, mainly milk, with some white and dark.

"We have been selling that bunny here for 23 years, and we sell a lot," says Sally Hannah, the daughter of owners Nick and Sue Hannah.

"A lot of people with large families buy the bunny instead of a lot of little Easter eggs and let the family devour him!"

The shop uses Belgian chocolate, made in England.

Its most popular eggs are made from half milk and half white chocolate, and there are four different sizes, from £6.50 to £16.50.

"They look very pretty. They're our special eggs," says Sally.

"They're placed in a clear box lying down, tied up in a ribbon with flowers on it.

"The silk flowers are very old fashioned and the eggs have traditional style chocolates.

"We have gone all out for Easter.

"We have special Easter chocolates and some have tiny ducks on top, decorated with different coloured chocolate including yellow and green."

Thorntons, in Lychgate, Worcester city centre,if offering four eggs for £10.

The eggs in the offer are made from milk and dark chocolate.

Also included in the offer are ducks, made from white or dark chocolate, a milk chocolate football egg, and a rabbit egg made from milk chocolate.

Thorntons eggs range from £1.99 to £20.

The shop's plain £1.99 eggs, made from milk chocolate are currently on offer at three for £5.

Marks & Spencer, High Street, Worcester, has an Easter range which includes luxury eggs, and eggs for children.

"We have a bunny-go-round egg which is a white chocolate egg with seven milk chocolate bunnies," said Sandra Potter, manager of food services at the store.

The shop has a Magic Mervin which is a chocolate top hat with a cuddly toy bunny coming out, priced at £7.99.

The store also sells Percy Pig eggs, at £4.99 - a children's egg with a pig embossed on the centre, with Percy Pig sweets, and two Percy Pig magnets.

It also sells a Winnie the Pooh egg, which is a hollow chocolate egg with a Winnie the Pooh puppet, for £5.99.

Of course easter treats are also about hot cross buns.

Thanks to Greggs the bakers, Evening News staff were able to sample a few brands, to find out what was hot, and what was not.

The buns sampled were from Greggs, Marks & Spencer, Firkins, Sainsbury, Three Cooks, Asda, Safeway and Tesco.

Reporter Dan Kendrick gave Safeway buns 4/5.

"I'm a fan - good, simple, wholesome scran," he said.

He said Greggs, 3/5, were more elegant and fruity but a little spicy for his palate.

"Cooks - they have had a shocker, like some kind of biblical unleavened bread, 1/5," he said.

"Firkins - very decent, good middle of the road bun action, 3/5."

Feature writer Mike Pryce gave Greggs 4/5, and said the buns were spicy and soft, teased with fruit and sealed with sweetness.

"One slight moan - they could have included more fruit," he said. "But perhaps that's a personal preference.

"As it is, they glisten, taste and look, just like a hot cross bun should."

Reporter Joby Mullens, who sampled five buns, gave Tesco buns 4/5 for their " plenty of flavour" and "nice soft texture", Safeway were awarded 3 out of 5 as they had "too much mixed peel and not enough raisins" and "could do with a bit more flavour."

John Brenan, reporter, not far behind his colleague on four buns, said Firkins buns were too cakey, but had plenty of fruit and a reasonable flavour at 3/5, Safeway was "insipid, not enough fruit and too grey to set the juices flowing, 2/5," and Greggs was "nice taste, plenty of fruit, good appearance and the right size", 4/5.

News editor Sala Lloyd, gave Sainsbury's buns 4/5 and said they were "delicious."

"The sultanas were succulent, the bun slightly moist and sticky and the cinnamon and nutmeg shone through," she said.

She said Marks & Spencer buns had succulent sultanas but not very much spice, 3/5.

Deputy news editor Mike Maloney described Marks & Spencer buns as "quite bland and dry but had nice texture," 3/5, and Greggs buns were "juicy, tasty and fruity" , 4/5.

Sub-editor Bev Abbs said Marks & Spencer buns were slightly dry but very nice, and gave them 4/5.

Ceri Vines, sub-editor, said Marks & Spencer buns were a generous size, plump sultanas, full-flavoured with hint of cinnamon 4/5, Tesco buns were small and flat, skimpy on the fruit, 2/5, and Sainsbury's buns were a bit doughy, 2/5

Editor's secretary Annie Dendy gave Greggs buns 3/5 but said she could have done with a bit more fruit.