River Severn

Wiz Clift rummages through Captain Bill Swinley's fertile acres in search of the perfect accompaniments for a dish of flash-fried River Severn eel.

Cut off from the rest of England by the broad Severn on one side and the Forest of Dean on the other, Captain Bill Swinley's garden basks in its own micro-climate.

The sheltered warmth of his sloping acres have allowed him to cultivate the largest collection of rare plum and damson varieties in private hands.

It's also given him the chance to grow a broad range of unusual fruits and vegetables- many harking back to his days in the Caribbean, where he spent the post-war years setting up the navy of Barbados.

Producer: Alasdair Cross

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2003.