Horticultural Society Autumn Show beats the British Summer

Outside, the wind still raged and the week's near-continuous rain had only just stopped.

But inside the High School Hall all was serene and the benches were afloat with flowers and packed with produce.

Society chairman Margaret Tate said: "I think we have been so lucky when you consider the weather.

"We have a good show. I didn't expect it. I thought 'We are all wasting our time...'

"Entries are about the same as last year overall.

"One gentleman who usually wipes the floor in the vegetable section reckons he is too old to enter this year. Yet we have some superb entries in the vegetable classes.

"Also, we have a number of new entrants this year, which is good.

"We are well up on dahlias this year. The children's entries are good.

"We have a good photographic entry as well."

Show manager Mick Gregory said: "I am absolutely amazed with the show. I think the standard of entries is excellent. The flowers are beautiful and we have got quite a few new entrants as well."

Introduced by the chairman, Deputy Town Mayor Cllr Bridget George opened the show, saying: "I am so pleased to be here to see this wonderful display. It makes me so envious because the entries are so superb, especially considering the weather we have had.

"Everyone has made such wonderful efforts to produce these lovely flowers and vegetables.

"It gives me great pleasure to open the show and I look forward to going round and seeing absolutely everything."

The judges were: Flowers, Dennis Grice; dahlias, Doug March; vegetables, Dave Pilbeam; floral art, Pam Gibson; domestic, Heather Hyrapiet; children's, Margaret van Draat.