A PICKLE producer with a love of vegetables has appeared on television after reaching the finals of a Christmas tree decorating competition.

Sarah Puckett, owner of York-based Puckett's Pickles, featured on Channel 4's Kirstie's Handmade Christmas with property guru Kirstie Allsop, after impressing competition judges with her vegetable-based festive decorations.

Miss Puckett has made a successful business out of her fondness for eating and pickling vegetables, but she also enjoys making Christmas decorations with a difference.

She said: "I have always loved pickled vegetables, both for their taste and their beauty.

"Mum and I always made garlands made from vegetables, herbs and flowers to decorate the house at Christmas, so when I saw a competition to decorate a Christmas tree that would be judged on TV, I had to enter with a vegetable inspired creation.”

Miss Puckett was one of more than 6,000 applicants in the competition and was delighted to reach the final four and win a trip to Blenheim Palace to dress a five foot tree that had been grown on the estate.

She dressed the tree with sprout garlands, tomato baubles, purple cauliflowers, bright green romanescos, artichokes, January red cabbage, pheasant feathers, sea holly, spray roses and Yorkshire Wolds lavender.

"Although my tree did not win the competition, I had a fabulous time and thoroughly enjoyed the experience,” she added.