Green-fingered Good Lifers were able to take the first steps to a healthier future today.

An exhibition in Brighton was aimed at getting people to eat a healthier diet by growing their own fruit and vegetables.

Seedy Saturday was giving people tips on everything from maintaining a window box to becoming self-sufficient.

There was also a seed exchange where growers could swap varieties of seeds to expand their range of produce.

The event was organised by gardening partners Andrea Goring and Matthew Reynolds from Whitehawk.

Mother-of-two Andrea said: "I have been growing for about three years. I got into it to find a solution to the ecological problems we are facing.

"I used to do a bit of direct action but I thought it would be a better idea for me to look at one of the solutions.

"With Seedy Saturday, we are trying to get people to realise they can have a more nutritious diet without having to put in a lot of time or money.

"We are promoting community gardens, which are collective allotments that people can drop into on a regular morning or afternoon and do a bit of weeding or digging in return for some seasonal vegetables.

"We are also telling people where they can get vegetable boxes fresh from the local area."

Matthew, 28, said: "We have several allotments. We are not completely self-sufficient but are aiming for that.

"It is only in the last 100 years people have stopped growing their own food. Supermarket food could have been sprayed 15 times. "

Matthew added Seedy Saturday also aims to promote varieties of plants that have died out from common agriculture.

He said: "About 90 per cent of the vegetable varieties available in this country 100 years ago have disappeared."

Seedy Saturday was being held at St George's Hall, Kemp Town, Brighton, from 11am to 4pm.