The West Alvington Horticultural Society held its 74th Annual Show, last Saturday, at the nearby local village hall in Malborough after a two year break due to the pandemic.

As experienced by all previous shows held around the South Hams entries had fallen but were still of a good standard as expressed by the judges.

Show secretary and Treasurer Mr Keith Steer, said: “The committee were delighted with the entries exhibited, despite the extremely difficult growing conditions, and the great turnout in the afternoon, which raised £1,179 in just over two hours.

“We were also very pleased that our President Mrs Sally Rossiter was able to the present the cups and trophies at the end of the day.”

The challenging season made it even more pleasing for Mark Boon and Mike Hine who triumphed in the Cottagers and Open vegetable sections, with Mike also winning the George Edwards Memorial Cup for potatoes, Brooking Onions Cup, Cucumbers Cup and a blue ribbon.

Mark also gained his father’s memorial cup for potatoes.

The flower sections were once again bright and colourful with some outstanding exhibits.

Terry Reeves will require the silver polish in both dahlia sections, Open flowers and for fuchsia heads whilst Bob Gould took the Will Norsworthy Memorial Cup for the best flower exhibit in the show and the blue ribbon and Mike Bowles won a cup for his mixed dahlias.

Keith Steer won the Novices flower trophy and the AB Perpetual Cup for Cottagers flowers.

He also triumphed in the Preserves, Cookery and Photography sections and won a blue ribbon for an excellent exhibit of cheese straws and The Cordelia Came Centennial Memorial Cup for the most points in the show.

Diane Rogers won her mother’s memorial cup for her fruit cake and Linsay Johns celebrated her success in the floral art section. Harriet Brooks-Brownlie had some extraordinary exhibits in the handicrafts section one being her “Eggie the Eagle” decorated egg exhibit which helped her secure the cup for that section.

Jeanne Hudson was also celebrating when she won the trophy for the best hobby and the best painting.

The junior exhibits were also very creative and brother and sister due Evie and Jake Rolfe took the spoils.

The committee expressed their sincere thanks to all the judges who gave of their time willingly.

They were David Coward, Joe Wallis and Brian Griffiths (vegetables), John Yeo (flowers), Cynthia Morgan (floral art), Vicky Browne and Harriet Brooks-Brownlie (juniors), Pat Janes (cookery) Angela Hickman (preserves and junior cookery), Jeremy Willcocks (photography) and Adrienne Blake (handicrafts)