A couple’s cider-making venture will come to a head today when they put their home brew up for sale at a market.

Rochelle Schwartz and husband Peter Newton, of Kings Avenue, Woodford Green, turned a downstairs room into a makeshift brewery to produce more than 500 bottles of apple cider.

They used unwanted apples collected from the gardens of neighbours, which Mrs Schwartz noticed were being left to rot.

The 58-year-old said: “There are lots of apple trees in the area but these days people don’t have time to do anything with them.

“In the autumn we leafletted our block asking if we could collect any apples that weren’t going to be used.

“The response was enthusiastic and the idea that their fruit would be made into cider delighted them.”

The couple collected 750kg of apples which they juiced, with the help of friend John Burgess, after attending a cider making course.

They were also given pointers by a cider farmer during weekend trips to Hereford.

The product was fermented over the winter and this week Mrs Schwartz has been putting labels on the bottles, which have the brand name London Glider.

“We had a small amount of pears which we didn’t want to blend so we also have another product called No. 10 Fine Pear Wine.”

On Saturday the couple have invited neighbours to a tasting session so they can try out the produce.

Contributors will receive two free bottles of wine and have the option of buying more at a discounted price.

Today, Rochelle and Peter will head to Loughton Farmers Market, at Centric Parade in High Street, to sell bottles of apple cider for �3 and pear wine for �4.50