Ash cloud threatens Northamptonshire fruit company

A Northamptonshire company that imports fresh fruit says business has ground to a halt because of the volcanic ash disruption to flights.

Blue Skies, one of the UK's biggest fresh fruit importers, supplies the major supermarkets from farmers in Africa and South America.

All the produce goes through Heathrow, but there has not been a delivery since 1130 BST on Thursday.

it says fruit is rotting in the fields and warehouses in Brazil and Africa.

Chairman Anthony Pile told BBC News he was very concerned for the welfare of 3,000 employees overseas.

He said the factories were at a "total standstill".

"No business can go on for very long without money coming in," he said.

The air traffic control body, Nats, has imposed restrictions on flights because of the danger the ash from the Icelandic volcano poses to aircraft engines.

Experts have warned that the tiny particles of rock, glass and sand contained in the ash cloud would be sufficient to jam aircraft engines.

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