DESPITE a difficult growing season with very little sunshine, the standard of the fruit and vegetable exhibits at Austwick’s annual flower and handicraft show was outstanding.

Once again, it was particularly encouraging to see new exhibitors and new faces winning classes and trophies. The judges were impressed with the standard of the exhibits and those visiting the show were not disappointed.

The challenge trophy for the best exhibit went to Pam Smith, who also took home the Jean Dodgson Award for best handicraft.

Other multiple winners were Frances Southworth, who won the Winifred Mattinson Cup for most points in the flower section and Byles Challenge Cup for the best bowl of roses, Bill Procter whose spoils included the Preston Cup for most points in the vegetable section and the Fred Price Memorial Trophy for the best potato and Judy Leeming, who was awarded the Metcalfe Cup for the best photographic exhibit and the Malcolm Bowker Trophy for photography (set subject).

In the children's section, all three trophies went to Izabella Spensley. They were the Nellie Price Memorial Cup for the most points, the Brook Handwriting Cup (eight to 11 years), and the Sharples Cup for the best exhibit.

Other trophy winners were: Ulrich Kube Memorial Cup for four roses - Paul Tibbatts; Richard Wallbank Trophy for best pot plant - Judith Milnthorpe; Chapman Trophy for the most points in the artistic flower section - Carol Wilkinson and Edna Chapman; Brook Poultry Cup for the best egg - Marie Lothian; Glyn Jones Challenge Cup for the most points in the handicraft section - Sheila Gooch; Brook Cookery Cup for most points in the cookery section - Sue Dewhirst; Marjorie Wedderburn Prize for best cookery exhibit - Michael Southworth; Foster Beaver Challenge Cup for most points in the combined produce sections - Catherine Vaughan-Williams.

Individual results were: flowers: four roses - 1 P Tibbatts, 2 Pat Broadhead; three roses at different stages - 1 K Bordley, 2 K Smith, 3 F Bowring; garden pinks - 1 K Bordley, 2 F Southworth, 3 M Pettiford; pansies or violas - 1 and 3 M Pettiford, 2 F Southworth; marigolds - 1 and 3 C Vaughan-Williams, 2 F Southworth; French or African marigolds - 1 B Procter, 2 M Pettiford; dahlias - 1 and 2 K Morphet; phlox - 1 D Swale, 2 B Procter; flowering shrub - 1 C Vaughan-Williams, 2 M Preston, 3 M Hird; spikes, sweet peas - 1 C Vaughan-Wiliiams, 2 F Bowring, 3C Wilkinson; sweet peas - 1 J Milnthorpe, 2 M Southworth, 3 F Bowring; hardy perennials - 1 F Southworth, 2 H Thompson, 3 M Hird; flowering house plant - 1 J Huck, 2 S Dewhirst, 3 M Preston, J Butler; house plant grown for its foliage - 1 J Milnthorpe, 2 M Preston, 3 J Butler; cactus or succulent - 1 C Vaughan-Williams; bowl of roses - 1 F Southworth, 2 C Wilkinson, 3 C Vaughan-Williams; nasturtiums - 1 F Southworth, 2 S Dewhirst, 3 C Wilkinson; best in section - Frances Southworth (hardy perennials).

Artistic flowers: arrangement of garden flowers with foliage - 1 E Thornton, 2 M Preston, 3 C Wilkinson; in the frame - 1 E Thornton, 2 C Wilkinson, 3 M Preston; My Hobby - 1 E Thornton, 2 C Wilkinson, 3 M Preston; Pink Perfection - 1 M Preston, 2 C Wilkinson, 3 E Thornton; petite arrangement - 1 C Wilkinson, 2 M Preston, 3 Charlotte Wilkinson; best in section - Edna Thornton (My Hobby).

Vegetables and fruit: white potatoes - 1 B Procter, 2 C Vaughan-Williams, 3 B Procter; coloured potatoes - 1 and 2 B Procter, 3 J Butler; carrots - 1 and 2 M Pettiford; onions - 1 B Procter, 2 C Vaughan-Williams, 3 M Pettiford; beetroot - 1 and 2 B Procter, 3 M Southworth; shallots - 1 B Procter 2 C Vaughan-Williams, 3 P Tibbatts; peas - 1 J Milnthorpe, 2 G Gooch, 3 B Procter; broad beans - 1 G Gooch, 2 J Milnthorpe, 3 M Southworth; French beans - 1 B Procter, 2 C Vaughan-Williams, 3 V Caperon; courgettes - 1 and 3 C Vaughan-Williams, 2 M Southworth, 3 G Cleverly; cauliflower - 2 M Pettiford, 3 G Cleverly; cabbage - 1 J Smith, 2 and 3 B Procter; salad leaves - 1 C Vaughan-Williams, 2 G Gooch, 3 B Procter; cucumber - 1 C Vaughan-Williams, 2 P Tibbatts, 3 C Vaughan-Williams; ripe tomatoes - 2 C Vaughan-Williams; truss of tomatoes - 1 S Dewhirst, 2 B Procter, 3 C Vaughan-Williams; one flower and one vegetable - 1 M Southworth, 2 M Pettiford, 3 B Procter; four distinct vegetables - 1 and 3 C Vaughan-Williams, 2 M Southworth; culinary herbs - 1 B Procter, 2 C Vaughan-Williams, 3 S Gooch; soft fruit, one variety - 1 B Procter, 2 and 3 C Vaughan-Williams; up to 4 soft fruits - 1 B Procter, 2 M Southworth, 3 C Vaughan-Williams; other vegetable or fruit - 1 and 3 C Vaughan-Williams, 2 G Cleverly, 3 J Huck; best in section - Catherine Vaughan-Williams (other vegetable or fruit).

Eggs: hen eggs - 1 and 3 L Harrison, 2 J Lothian; bantam - 1 F Southworth, 2 C Vaughan-Williams, 3 J Milnthorpe; hen, including contents - 1 M Lothian, 2 L Harrison, 3 J Lothian; bantam, including contents - 1 C Vaughan-Williams, 2 J Milnthorpe; best in section - Marie Lothian (hen eggs, including contents).

Art, photography and handicrafts: The seaside - 1 S Gooch, 2 P Smith, 3 K Bordley; painting - 1 Charlotte Wilkinson, 2 S Hargreaves, 3 P Smith; interior drawing - 1 S Gooch, 2 P Smith; drawing, other subject - 1 P Smith; four different photographs - 1 A Rigby, 2 J Leeming, 3 C Leeming; digital photographs - 1 J Leeming, 2 N Thompson, 3 C Leeming, photograph, movement - 1 J Leeming, 2 G James, 3 J Butler; papercraft - 1 S Gooch; bag, box or bowl - 1 H Meadows, 2 J Lothian, 3 P Smith; interior/exterior decor - 1 S Gooch; item using embroidery thread - 1 S Dewhirst; knitted or crocheted item - 1 R Abblett, 2 and 3 M Eaton; other needlework - 1 S Gooch, 2 R Abblett, 3 M Eaton; felt work - 1 P Smith, 2 S Gooch, 3 S Dewhirst; other item - 1 P Smith, 2 and 3 R Abblett; best in section - Pamela Smith (feltwork).

Cookery: wholemeal loaf - 1 J Milnthorpe, 2 S Dewhirst, 3 Pat Broadhead, Crossleigh Stores; biscuits - 1 J Huck, 2 K Huck, 3 S Dewhirst; cheese scones - 1 S Dewhirst, 2 J Milnthorpe, 3 S Rouse; flapjack - 1 S Dewhirst, 2 J Huck,3 C Vaughan-Williams; almond slices - 1 S Goold; gingerbread loaf - 1 K Smith, 2 J Huck, 3 S Goold; recipe item, chocolate cake - 1 S Hargreaves, 2 M Lothian, 3 K Huck; swiss roll - 1 M Lothian, 2 H Rouse, 3 K Huck; canapes - 1 C Vaughan-Williams; cold sweet - 1 J Lothian, 2 K Huck, 3 S Harrison; fruit pie - 1 S Dewhirst, 2 K Huck; jam/ or jelly - 1 K Huck, 2 B Procter, 3 S Dewhirst; marmalade - 1 M Eaton, 2 P Smith, 3 C Wilkinson; lemon curd - 1 G Cleverly, 2 M Pettiford, 3 C Vaughan-Williams; homemade wine or liqueur - 1 F Southworth, 2 B Hargreaves, 3 C Wilkinson; cordial or non-alcoholic drink - 1 M Southworth, 2 J Huck; pickle or chutney - 1 J Huck, 2 C Vaughan-Williams; men only, apple pie - 1 B Wright, 2 P Tibbatts, 3 G Bowring; best in section - Michael Southworth (cordial).

Children: artwork, children under school age - 1 H Hewgill; decorated letter of alphabet - 1 H Hewgill; artwork, five to eight years - 1 T Hewgill; handwriting, eight to 11 years - 1 I Spensley; painted pebble - 1 L Benson, 2 I Spensley, C Wilkinson 3 C Wilkinson, L Harrison; railway poster - 1 I Spensley, 2 C Wilkinson; photograph, local wildlife - 1 and 3 E Benson, 2 L Harrison; decorated boot - 1 I Spensley; loom band creation - 1 L Harrison; model made from junk - 1 I Spensley, 2 L Harrison; vegetable animal - 1 E Benson, 2 I Spensley, 3 L Harrison; raspberry buns - 1 L Harrison, 2 E Benson, 3 C Wilkinson; something I have grown myself - 1 E Benson; miniature garden/allotment - 1 I Spensley; best in section - Izabella Spensley (miniature garden or allotment).