Egg-cellent Avenham features in BBC's Countryfile

Photo Neil Cross
Matt Baker of BBC's Countryfile working with Penwortham school Broad Oak Primary School as they do a Lancashire special for Easter Sunday in Avenham Park — Photo Neil Cross Matt Baker of BBC's Countryfile working with Penwortham school Broad Oak Primary School as they do a Lancashire special for Easter Sunday in Avenham Park

Last week, the Preston park was part of health show ‘Truth or Scare’ and yesterday it was the setting as presenter Matt Baker and his team explored egg rolling.

The popular Sunday evening show was working with Year 4 students from Penwortham’s Broad Oak Primary school as they decorated eggs before rolling them down the grassy hills.

And headteacher Sarah Barton said the children had been itching to be a part of the show all week.

She said: “We’d already had a very Easter themed week and it’s a very important time of year for us and for Preston. Lancashire artist Linda Martin came into the school and helped the children decorate their eggs as farm animals.

“We also made some pace eggs by dying eggs using onions skins before going to the park and doing some egg rolling down the hills.”

And ex-Broad Oak pupil Joe Brown was also featured on the show after setting up his own business, Joe Brown’s Egg Round. Joe, from Penwortham, left school with just two GCSEs to his name before starting the business in 2008.

The 27-year-old, who suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild form of autism, delivers eggs to hundreds of homes and businesses around Preston. “Joe is a fantastic example to the children here,” Sarah said. “It’s great to show them an ex-pupil has gone out, set up their own business and been successful.”

And Joanna Brame, series producer for Countryfile,  explained why Preston was chosen. She said: “Lancashire was the perfect location for our Easter programme due to the long tradition of egg rolling in the county. Since the 1860s families have gathered in Avenham Park in Preston to take part in this ancient Easter ritual – we just wanted to celebrate that tradition on Countryfile’s Easter Sunday programme. Matt Baker and Anita Rani are quite competitive so we’re looking forward to seeing how they get on in the egg rolling competition with some local school kids – and which presenter and their team is named champion”

The show is set to air on April 16 on BBC One.