TV presenter Anneka Rice relived her famous ‘Treasure Hunt’ days, to drop in by helicopter to a Hampshire village taking part in a national charity garden scheme.

Complete with jumpsuit, she was supporting the first ever National Gardens Festival Weekend.

She dropped into Crawley near Winchester on Saturday, where five houses are opening their garden gates to the public this month: Bay Tree House, gable Cottage, Little Court, Paige Cottage and Tanglefoot.

Anneka has been a long-time supporter of the NGS and remembers opening her garden for charity via the National Gardens Scheme.

She said: “I still feel a pang in the middle of June as I remember when our house in the Cotswolds was open to the public - a band playing on the lawn, teas being served from a bam, the garden a riot of reds and pinks, and the scent of roses hanging in the air. We've since sold the house, but I'm still an avid follower of the NGS. Openings all over the country provide a wonderful opportunity to spend the day with fellow garden lovers, gathering ideas and sharing experiences.”

This story is also in the Chronicle, out tomorrow.