PUNNETS of strawberries aplenty were picked in record-breaking numbers as an annual race took place for the 11th time.
Tiptree's Strawberry Race saw about 150 people take to the fields of famous jam-makers Wilkin and Sons on Thursday to try to pick as many of the Little Scarlets variety in an hour as they could.
Anton Thurgood, farm commercial manager, said: "The record was broken twice.
"The crop looked fantastic, it's been a good year so far, but we're not counting our chickens."
The previous record of 6.88kg was beaten by a haul of 7.63kg and 8.245kg, the latter collected by Svetoslav Mandalov.
This year's theme was a Mad Hatter's tea party, and several characters from Alice in Wonderland could be found in the fields at Bounds Farm, Goldhanger.
Competitors this year included a team of London chefs, who took part before taking a tour of the farm to see the range of fresh fruit grown.
Within hours, the fruit was whisked back to the Wilkin and Sons factory in Tiptree to be turned into jam.
Mr Thurgood added: "We had a Mad Hatter's tea party afterwards and we're still counting up the money raised."
BBC Essex's Steve Scruton handed out prizes for fastest picker, fastest UK picker, fastest team, best hat and best dressed.
Chris Newenham, farm director, said: "This year we raised towards a lunch for 129 retired people in Tiptree, one for each year we've been going."
