Researchers claim that the Pendragon apple, which has been grown in England since the 12th century, contains higher levels of plant chemicals linked to health benefits - including reducing inflammation and lowering blood sugar - than other varieties.

The apple came top in a test of 12 organic and three normally grown apples, beating rivals such as Golden Delicious, Royal Gala and Cox...

... The compounds are disappearing from many people’s diet because of modern farming techniques designed to produce sweeter fruits in more uniform shapes, he added.

The Pendragon is not available to buy in supermarkets and had to be sourced by the researchers from a private orchard in Cornwall which specialises in conserving older varieties of the fruit.