CHICKEN has always been an popular choice of UK consumers and it is a lot more attractive further east where housewives not only enjoy the breast and legs of the bird, but also the feet.

It's a market which British farmers could soon tap into too, according to UK farm minister George Eustice.

Mr Eustice said producers had the opportunity to increase exports of the popular snack to China and other regions where parts of the bird are rejected by British shoppers.

Ministers have already agreed a deal to export pigs' trotters to China to increase access to new markets.

Speaking during a Commons debate about the effect of Brexit on poultry producers,

Mr Eustice said: "It never ceases to amaze me that chicken feet are a delicacy in China and can attract a high value, far, far higher than they can get here in the UK.

"There are real opportunities to create value from parts of the carcase for which there is no market in the UK or indeed in Europe.

"The other point I would make is there has always been quite a worldwide trade in poultry because we consume more white poultry meat than we produce, so we import white poultry meat traditionally but we have also had to export dark poultry meat which is in demand in other parts of the world."