Jurassic plums, at a store near you

A new fruit being marketed as a "Dinosaur Egg" goes on sale today in an attempt to attract even the most fruit-hating youngsters to healthy eating. The Californian-grown fruit, made by crossing an apricot and a plum, is officially known as a "pluot".

The dinosaur reference follows the success of the film Jurassic Park which, the backers hope, will lure young people into buying the fruit and boosting their vitamin intake.

The fruits are the size of a small nectarine with purple, speckled skin, each one bearing a pink dinosaur sticker proclaiming it a "Dinosaur Egg".