[1] His son Stanley Thatcher, born in 1910, began selling draught cider to pubs in Somerset and the company's presence in the area grew.

Alongside its bush orchards, Thatchers has pioneered a method of growing its apple trees in a hedgerow style.

[5] Trained on wires, this enables easier harvesting and also helps to ensure the fruit has the optimum combination of sunlight and rain.

Thatchers also maintains an exhibition orchard in which over 458 different varieties of apple tree are grown.

[11] Thatchers aired on national TV with Time Stops in 2015, with the concept of showcasing the 12:30 pm tasting that happens every Friday at Myrtle Farm, claiming the cider isn’t released until Martin Thatcher has tasted each batch after arriving in a balloon.