Former MP and Cabinet Minister Michael Portillo was filming in Burton today - to highlight one of the town's best treasures.

The 64-year-old, who held a number of high profile positions between 1984 and 2005 during a glittering political career was spotted with a film crew on The Washlands, near Burton Library.

They were filming an episode for the tenth series of 'Great British Railway Journeys', a documentary series that Mr Portillo hosts by travelling up and down the country to highlight railway networks and how it has changed since the Victorian times.

In this episode, they were discussing Burton-made Marmite and how it is made as a by-product of beer brewing.

Marmite Food Extract Company was first formed in Burton in 1902. Marmite is a yeast extract made from the by-products of brewing. Back then this was supplied to the firm by Bass Brewery.

Marmite is still made in the town by food and household goods giant Unilever's at its factory in Wellington Road.

Mr Portillo told the Burton Mail: "We're making Great British Railway Journey's series ten. We're here for Marmite, a story about Marmite.

"We came to Burton before either in the first or second series when we covered beer, so here we are again back doing Marmite - a by-product of the breweries."

Michael Portillo was filming in Burton

His previous visit to Burton came in the 17th episode of series one, first broadcast in January 2010. In this episode he highlighted the town's brewing past, including a visit to the Burton Bridge Inn, in Bridge Street.

Mr Portillo was the Conservative MP for Enfield Southgate for 13 years from 1984 and then for Kensington and Chelsea from 1999 until 2005.

He became Shadow Chancellor and the deputy leader of the Conservative Party for a year in 2000. He was also Secretary of State for Employment from 1994 until 1995, and then Secretary of State for Defence between 1995 and 1997.

Since 2005, when he retired from politics following the General Election, Mr Portillo has led a career in television, including filiming documentaries about mental health issues and the suicide of one of his school friends.

Eager Burtonians excited to get a glimpse of the programme which has been broadcast on BBC Two for the previous nine series may have to wait a while as Mr Portillo said it will not be televised until January or February next year.