Ivy "has great potential"

Scientists at Bangor University are investigating ivy as one of a range of plants which could provide compounds currently derived from crude oil.

Work at its BioComposites Centre is underway to find new uses for natural resources.

Development Chemist Dr Dave Preskett:

“We’ve used ivy extract as a slug killer in place of slug pellets and trials using it as a fungicide to treat potato blight, in place of oil derived chemical sprays, proved very effective in protecting crops.

"The same extract also has great potential to be developed in products for treating dandruff and athlete’s foot."

"An oil produced from the berries is edible, as ivy is not poisonous, contrary to popular belief, and has all the health giving properties of olive oil but has the more solid consistency of butter or lard.”