EVERYONE helps run the family business Courtneys of Whimple — from the children to great grandpa Courtney.

The cottage industry, at Whiteways Cider Orchards, makes juice, marmalade and chutney from cider apples.

It is run by Jill and Richard Courtney, along with their son, Paul, 38, and his wife, Linda. They all live on site with Paul and Linda's children, Annabel, six, and Jessica, five.

The company was only launched last August, but it is already proving a success.

"Strictly speaking it is mine and Paul's business venture," said Jill, 60. "But everyone helps out. My husband, Richard, is an ex-bank manager so he uses his finance skills to do the accounts and Paul's wife, Linda, helps with the cooking.

"All generations muck in to help pick the apples during harvest time in October.

"It's lovely as everyone gets involved, from my grand daughters to Richard's father, great grandpa John, who is 85. It is jolly hard work, but great fun."

Jill and Richard moved to Whimple 23 years ago and 13 years ago decided to buy the three acres of orchards which surround their house.

"The Whiteways orchards are over 100 years old," said Jill. "The apples are traditionally cider apples, but in recent years cider factories stopped buying them — opting to use concentrate instead.

"We thought it was such a shame that the apples were just sitting on the floor so decided to do something about it."

The family experimented by pressing the apples for juice, and were surprised by the results.

"It has a unique flavour," said Jill. "It has a rustic taste and an old-fashioned quality.

"People loved it and we even had strangers phoning up about it. So last autumn we pressed around five tons of apples."

The Courtneys of Whimple range includes apple juice, mulled apple juice, chutney, marmalade, cider apple brandy, blackberry and damson liqueurs and gluten-free apple crumble.

"I've always enjoyed cooking," said Jill. "I use both adapted and family recipes. We have an Aga in the kitchen so I cook most of it in that."

Jill's working background is in recruitment and marketing. She said: "I am so used to promoting things for other people that it is really nice to promote something for myself for a change. I'm really enjoying it so far.

"I think people like our products because they know that everything we use is locally produced by a local family."

Coutrneys of Whimple's products are sold in a variety of independent shops in Devon, including Killerton Country Market, Broadclyst Post Office, Bizzie Lizzie's, in Newton Poppleford, Dart's Farm, Topsham and Combe House, Honiton.

"I am always so happy when people are willing to try us out," said Jill. "It makes all the hard work worthwhile."

For more information, call 01404 822925, or email cider.apples@hotmail.com.