A WYCHBOLD couple, who have produced the first food in 100 years made from Droitwich brine salt, have had their triumph tainted by a tragic diagnosis.

Justin and Helga Bowen unveiled the world’s first Brine Salt Fudge, using salt extracted from the local brine on which Droitwich was founded, at a town council meeting on May 15.

It was due to be officially launched and go on general sale at the Droitwich Spa Food and Festival last Saturday.

But the couple’s elation suffered a massive blow when, on May 22, Helga was taken into hospital and diagnosed with secondary cancer on her brain and abdomen.

She had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 but was given the all-clear in February this year.

Justin and Helga set up Wychbold Fudge in 2014 after Justin took voluntary redundancy from his job working with young offenders. They were delighted to be invited to join the project to bring Droitwich Brine Salt back after an absence of nearly 100 years.

Justin said: “We were asked if we would be able to use this wonderful local ingredient to make fudge and we were given a small amount of Droitwich brine salt to experiment with.

“This unique and extraordinary fudge has never been produced anywhere else or by anyone else and is a true local delicacy.”

He went on: “A week after the official tasting and all the publicity that surrounded it, my wife Helga was taken into hospital and subsequently diagnosed with secondary cancer of the brain and abdomen. A treatment plan was drawn up and she returned home a week later.

“This came as a huge blow. Aside from the effect on us as a family, we also realised it would impact on what we had been building with our business. We recognised we were unlikely to be able to continue supplying our customers and shops with fudge, so made the decision very quickly to let them know.”

But rather than preparing to close down the business, Justin and Helga were overwhelmed by a throng of supporters, including Worcestershire Young Farmers, offering a helping hand.

Justin said: “Something wonderful began to happen. Within days people had started to come forward offering to help. Not just friends and family, but also complete strangers who had been told about our situation.

“They offered to help, not only with things like child care, but also to wrap and package our Brine Salt Fudge so that we could continue to sell it in the local shops we supply.

“People had all sorts of reasons for wanting to help - for some it was because they or their loved ones had their own experience with cancer.

“At the moment when we were struggling the most, this overwhelming response gave us the inspiration to stand up and the resolve to make something good and positive from the situation.”

Helga has since started chemotherapy and the couple have decided to use their unique fudge to fundraise for Macmillan Cancer Support.

The official launch at the Droitwich Spa Food and Drink Festival went ahead as planned, thanks to help from volunteers, and the product is still on sale at local shops.

“From now on we will be using the proceeds from the Brine Salt Fudge sales to make a monthly donation to Macmillan. Our initial target is £100 per month, which would equate to approximately 10p from each bar we sell, but we hope ultimately to do significantly more than that. However, we are taking it one step at a time and are determined to build a lasting project.

“That is our way of saying thank you to all those who helped us stand up and to show others that a diagnosis of cancer doesn't mean the end,” said Justin.