A WORCESTER pensioner who turned his hand to growing grapes is now tasting the fruits of his labours.

Morncilo Ristic was given a grapevine 16 years ago by a friend from his home country of Yugoslavia.

It was a cutting taken from a plant originally from Eastern Europe and brought over in World War Two.

He gave up growing peppers and tomatoes and decided to add three other vines and now hopes his Ronkswood-grown red and white grapes will give him a taste of life back home.

"I'd been on holiday and there were not many grapes on the vines, but when I came back it was a wonderful surprise," said Mr Ristic of Ripon Road.

"They have a wonderful bouquet to them, I'm hoping to make wines and jams to Serbian recipes to give as gifts to family and friends," he said.

The 74-year-old Serbian, who fought with the British in Italy has lived in Britain since he was a teenager.

His secret to a successful harvest is using the right soil, regular watering and the occasional song in his greenhouse.