GREENGROCER Eddie Holmes once played football for Preston North End - now he's getting fruity with the club!

Eddie, a lifelong PNE fan, started out by supplying the players with their half time fruit. Now he rates the club as one of his biggest customers.

Eddie, whose shop, H Holmes, is on Sharoe Green Lane, has now forged a friendship with the club's new chef Michael Brennan. Eddie took over the small family-run business from his father Hector in 1976 and turned the florists firm into one which sold fruit and vegetables as well.

He told the Citizen: "I also supply Manchester City and top chefs Nigel Haworth and Paul Heathcote as well as North End.

"I am proud to help the club in whatever way I can. After all if the club is doing well it gives the whole town a buzz," he added.

Eddie prides himself on getting products that are not available from supermarkets and gets regular deliveries from France and Holland - just a couple of weeks ago he imported rare Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese from a market in Paris for a chef!

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