Video: Prince Charles spreading the word on food in Todmorden

The Prince of Wales was in town to find out more about its pioneering environmental mission which has won worldwide applause for its approach to increasing the amount of local food grown and eaten there.

Mary Clear – the co-founder of Incredible Edible Todmorden, who accompanied Charles around the town – said: "It has been an incredible turn out. It's like everyone in the town and the whole area has come.

"I think it shows how proud everyone is about what is going on here."

She added: "We're astounded by the support and hard work this community has put in to help make us sustainable."

In the market the Prince stopped and chatted to traders, asking detailed questions about their produce.

Jean Hartley, who has run the Crumbly Cheese stall for 25 years, was overjoyed when her Royal visitor tried her locally made Todmorden Pexommier. Mrs Hartley said: "This is the highlight of my life."

She said the Prince, an outspoken campaigner on rural issues, also brought up her campaign to keep one of the big supermarket chains – Netto – out of the town.

She said: "He asked how I felt about it and I got quite upset.

"He said 'How do you feel

about this supermarket scheme?' and I said 'We're not happy about it'."

At the nearby butcher's stall, Charles asked whether they used the whole of the pig and joked with staff about eating trotters.

The Prince stopped at vegetable patches as he toured the town centre and also hailed the Incredible Edible scheme as a shining example of sustainable living.