PEOPLE lit torches, sang songs, and hung toast on trees as a series of traditional wassailing events took place across the county this month.

Wassailing is the ancient tradition of blessing trees in the hope of promoting a good harvest for the next cider and perry season and warding off bad spirits from the orchard.

This Anglo-Saxon custom is said to date back many centuries and is still a lively and treasured tradition across cider and perry-making counties today.

Celebrations vary, but typically involve a lively, torch-lit procession to the orchard where revellers gather round the biggest tree to sing and create lots of noise to ward off bad spirits.

Hereford Times: Leominster Morris men led the White Swan's wassail in Eardisland. Picture: Richard Watson Leominster Morris men led the White Swan's wassail in Eardisland. Picture: Richard Watson

Often a wassail bowl, filled with warm spiced cider, perry or ale, is shared among the procession and a toast is made by the wassail queen as a gift to the biggest tree. It is not unusual for the evening to end with a visit to a local pub to warm up.

The White Swan, in Eardisland, was alive with morris dancing as it held the first of a series of wassail events for Herefordshire.

Wassailers gathered to light their torches before a long row of orange lights glowed through the village as they followed Leominster morris dancers in a torch-lit procession to the orchard.

Westons Cider, in Ledbury, held a wassail with the Silurian Morris Men that saw copious amounts of its cider and torches made from baked bean cans seen in procession to the brewery's orchard.

All donations made went to St Michael's Hospice.

Hereford Times: Landlord Matt Slocombe led The Crown Inn's wassail in Woolhope. Landlord Matt Slocombe led The Crown Inn's wassail in Woolhope.

Jenny Pipes Morris met at Corn Square, in Leominster, before heading to the Millennium Green orchard to join in the wassail, while Grange Court opened offering soup and refreshments afterwards.

The Crown Inn, in Woolhope, led a procession to the pub's orchard and pizzas were offered afterwards.

A spokesperson said: "We were absolutely thrilled with the turnout and feedback from our wonderful Wassail. What perfect winter weather it was."

It raised £205 for St Michael's Hospice - Hereford.

Brewardine and Brobury community held their Wassail with the Foxwhelp Dancers.

Hereford Times: Bredwardine and Brobury held their wassail with the Foxwhelp Dancers. Picture: John Hanlon Bredwardine and Brobury held their wassail with the Foxwhelp Dancers. Picture: John Hanlon

While Colwall Orchard Group cancelled its event amid concerns of coronavirus.

Herefordshire proudly produces more than half of the UK's 700 million litres of cider each year, so where better to experience the jolly, ancient tradition of wassailing.