A HISTORIAN said she was thrilled to speak with celebrity Michael Portillo on his new BBC show.

The episode of Great British Railway Journeys saw Mr Portillo arrive in Tiptree where he visited the Wilkin & Sons farm to discuss its history.

Cherish Watton, historian at the Women’s Land Army, had a chat with him about the Land Army girls who cultivated and harvested fruits such as damsons for the war effort.

She said: “I was thrilled to be invited to talk to Michael about the vital work of the Women’s Land Army during the Second World War.

“Michael showed great interest in finding out more about women’s wartime agricultural work and how they increased the country’s food production.

“We discussed why women joined the WLA, the importance of the uniform, and the range of farming tasks that women were expected to carry out.

“It was a wonderful experience to discuss such an important part of the country’s history in the beautiful setting of Tiptree.”

The episode aired on BBC Two and is available on BBC iPlayer.

To find out more about the WLA, visit womenslandarmy.co.uk.