A pair of compost entrepreneurs have celebrated the way his business has grown over the last two decades at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Enviroinmental scientist Jane Barker and farmer Simon Bland are in charge of Dalefoot Composts, which is based in Askham, near Penrith.

This firm produces a form of compost which does not use peat but is instead made from wool and bracken, much of which are produced at the company's Heltondale farm.

Sales have doubled in the last year, which the company is putting down to the increasing popularity of environmentally-friendly gardening.

Its customers include commercial growers, flower and vegetable exhibitors as well as domestic gardeners.

The firm's product range includes composts for container growing, flowers, vegetables, shrubs, seeds and acid-loving plants.

They are exhibiting their product in Chelsea, at the event run by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Mr Bland said: “We’ve seen our sales double in the last year which is proof that gardeners want to garden more ethically and really do care about the quality of products they use on their allotment, back garden or balcony.”

The couple started making compost in 1997 after reading early 20th century gardening books which mentioned wool as a garden mulch with a desire to make good use of the bracken growing on the fells

The business employs 18 local people and sources bracken and wool from local farmers.

Its compost was shortlisted in a product of the year category at Chelsea in 2013.