Television cooks such as Mary Berry from the Great British Bake Off, have been blamed for a sharp rise in illegal mushrooms foraging at the Royal Parks in London.
Over 80 people have received police warnings for picking fungi in the parks over the last few years. “We’ve notice a steady rise in mushroom foraging which could be attributed to celebrity chef endorsement” according to PC Paul Barber of the Met Police.
“In some case we have caught individuals with enough mushrooms to fill a small dustbin,” he said.
Mary Berry revealed on her show Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites that she has been a keen mushroom-hunter since childhood.
