Youngsters at Cylch Meithrin Llanilar could be the “gardeners of the future” after winning a carrot-growing competition.

The competition, organised by Ceredigion County Council’s education department, aimed to promote awareness in preschool children of food production by each Cylch group in Ceredigion attempting to grow the heaviest carrot.

Organiser Vanessa Bowen told the Cambrian News: “Surveys have shown that children often do not know where their food comes from - other than a supermarket - or how it is produced.

“This competition is to promote the children’s understanding of how vegetables and their roots grow.

“An identical growing box to grow the carrots was provided to each participating Cylch group, which included a Perspex window so children could see the roots in the soil.”

Llanilar Cylch staff Caryl Roberts and Emma Samuel enlisted the advice and help of local gardener Hugh Morgan, whose granddaughter Jenya Morgan attends the Cylch.

Hugh said: “The children sowed the seeds in mid March and have been watering and tending them, studying their progress until harvesting the carrots at the end of term.

“The heaviest carrot weighed 415 grammes - nearly one pound.

“Perhaps they are the gardeners of the future.”

The food production process continued as the carrots grown were used in the making of a delicious carrot cake.

For winning, the Cylch received an ICT teaching aid kit.