HUNDREDS of people turned out as the UK's first ever National Asparagus Day was celebrated.

The asparagus express train travelled from Broadway to Cheltenham on Monday to celebrate the Vale's favourite vegetable with Gus the Asparagus Man and the Asparamancer joining the celebrations.

The St George's Day celebration saw the first cut of the year with the return from the Vale of Evesham given to Cotswold Riding for the Disabled Association.

The round boarded the Asparagus Express at Broadway Station, being re-opened this year by the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, more than 50 years after it closed.

The journey included music and an aspara-breakfast as well as Morris dancing.

The round was met at Cheltenham Racecourse Station by Bobby the AsparaHorse and representatives from Cotswold Riding for The Disabled Association who plan to auction it to raise money for their charity.

A spokesman for National Asparagus Day said: "It went fabulously well. This was the first National Asparagus Day and there was a really good turnout. Several hundred people were here.

"There was plenty of entertainment on show and it was good to help a great charity.

"There was a very good atmosphere on the day and everyone enjoyed themselves."