Herefordshire pub's horse and cart deliveries from Westons Cider

The Slip Tavern, in Much Marcle, between Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye, has spent the last six weeks receiving horse-powered deliveries from their neighbours Westons Cider.

The traditional Shire horse and dray delivery service is led by 12-year-old stallion Reg, who weighs a colossal 800kg.

Every Wednesday at 1pm, Reg can be seen pulling the cider cart down the hill to the Tavern to top up the pub's weekly cider stock.

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Front of house manager and the landlady's daughter, Amy Jade Thompson, 27, said he was always a popular sight.

She added: "Pub visitors love seeing the Shire horses.

"Recently, we've had quite a few customers booking for lunch just to see them and get the experience.

The Tavern in Much Marcle, Herefordshire, has introduced a 'fuel free' delivery service by using a horse and cart for its weekly cider order from Westons Cider

"Westons Cider used to exercise the horse around the village. We saw this as an opportunity and thought between us we could help the horses get the walks they needed, and we started getting deliveries from them.

"Now, even if we're not having a delivery that week, the Shire horses still visit out pub so people can see them. The only time the horses don't visit is if the weather is really bad.

"It's a very old, traditional way to have our ciders delivered and with it being a fuel-free service, its an eco-friendly service too."

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She said, the cider firm is very keen on promoting the Shire horses and keeping them working, and they also regularly appear at country shows like the Bromyard Gala.

"Although they are not really needed in our society today to work, it's nice that we can keep using them," she added.

"Normally Reg does the deliveries, but they have another grey horse called Boris who is in training to do them.

"Westons Cider has also just got a 15-month-old foal called Buzz and he has recently come to visit the pub too."

Traditionally, Shire horses played a big role in cider production – driving the mills to crush the apples.

But as technology has advanced over the years, they are needed less. They have since become a symbol of heritage at Westons.