A NAME has been put to a face on rare colour film footage shot at Westons Cider in the 1920s.

Stills from work by pioneer film-maker Claude Friese-Greene appeared in the Ledbury Reporter last month, with an appeal for information from the BBC, which is preparing a documentary on Friese-Greene.

Pensioner Mary England was separately approached by Westons as a long-time resident and was able to provide names, including that of John Evans, seen enjoying a break with a mug of cider with fellow workers.

John was followed into the family firm by his son Frank, grandson Stephen, who has spent 31 years at the firm, and now great-grandson Gary. Stephen's wife, Jenny, has also spent 18 years at Westons.

"It's really interesting, it was mainly a farm then, with lots of agricultural workers, they used to breed Hereford-shire cattle," Stephen explained.

"It's changed a great deal over the years, even since I started."

Though Stephen now drives delivery lorries for the company, his father used horse and wagon to transport cider to Dymock, where it was put on trains to London.

"Frank worked here for around 60 years," said Jenny. "They were a local family and the factory was the largest employer in the area, nearly everyone worked here, it was more like a way of life than anything."

Mr Friese-Greene's footage, some of the first colour film ever recorded, was shot while on a trip around Britain between 1924 and 1926.

It will be featured in a documentary to be shown on BBC2 in September.

"It's a fascinating piece of film and a lovely story to go with it," said Westons spokesman Jules Schad.