The Carshalton lavender environmental group has been awarded £5,000 so its crops can be distilled into lavender oil on site.

The grant was given by Thames Community Foundation, which supports grassroots initiatives across south-west London.

Volunteers have been sending lavender to Norfolk for distillation for several years but will now be able to cut transport costs.

Group chairman Alistair Cruickshank said: “Now we can buy our own still and do it ourselves. We shall have revived the whole traditional process, for which this area was once famous.

“The still will be a major attraction at Harvest Days in July. Until now, visitors have seen a small-scale demonstration of distillation using laboratory equipment. Now they will see the actual thing.”