TV presenter and Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins will show Kingston how to grow its own grub on Monday, May 3.

The Dig In tour will be in town for the 25th May Merrie celebrations, with grow-your-own demonstrations, family entertainment, free seeds and potting activities.

The Dig In van will be in Memorial Gardens from 11am to 5.30pm for those green-fingered residents in need of gardening tips.

Mr Collins said: “This is a great opportunity for inexperienced gardeners to learn how easy it is to get started growing their own vegetables.

“There is nothing like experiencing the process of growing and eating your own vegetables. Nurturing them from a tiny dormant seed to fresh food on the plate seems at first to be quite a daunting task, but once a few basic skills are mastered you won’t look back.”

There will be a sow-what-you-know panel for experienced growers to share their knowledge and offer tips and advice to new growers and Mr Collins’ special guest will be Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time presenter Matthew Biggs.

This year’s Dig In vegetables are basil, salad leaves, carrots, courgettes and French beans, that you can learn how to nurture via the Dig In website, throughout the growing season.

Mr Collins said: “My very earliest success was growing leeks. I honestly remember little about the gardening at the time, but I can still taste the soup I made like it was yesterday.”

Visit the Dig In website at bbc.co.uk/digin for more information.