ABSENT only during two world wars and a global pandemic, Wambrook Flower Show has run each year since 1914.

It started life as The Bewley Down Flower, Vegetable and Dairy Show, and the latest instalment, the 110th event, was held at the Tithe Barn in Cotley on July 27.

And organisers said they were proud of the high quality of entries on show.

“This year’s flower show maintained the high quality of previous shows and was held in very welcome sunny weather,” a spokesperson said.

“As usual, competitors were asked to deliver their entries by 10am on Saturday morning for judging to commence at 10.30am sharp.

“Many classes were closely fought, and on several occasions the experienced judges were hard put to declare a winner, sometimes adding notes of their own in recognition of the high standard of submitted work.”

Judged categories included vegetables, fruits and flowers, preserves, home baking, wines and soft drinks, crafts and limericks and, of course, the children’s classes.

The subject of the limerick this year, for the Michael Mussell Memorial Plate, was The Shipping Forecast (Celebrating 100 Years).

The wines and soft drinks class – for the Larcombe Challenge Cup – was judged by Maddie Beaumont, joint licensee of the local Cotley Inn, the highly-rated foodie pub named as “one of Britain’s finest inns” by MasterChef judge and Telegraph restaurant critic, William Sitwell.

“Visitors arriving at 2.30pm were invited to make a donation to enjoy an afternoon in a quintessentially English setting, with tea and cakes all made locally available to enjoy while listening to the tuneful beats of Steel the Show, the Blackdown Hills’ very own steel band,” the spokesperson added.

Steel the Show performed for show goers

“For those fancying a flutter, the tombola was a popular stall, and raffle ticket prizes included a voucher to spend at the Cotley Inn, wonderful hampers and jewellery.

“The artfully crafted golf ball pinball board was popular with would-be local ‘wizards’ eager to get to the top of the scoreboard.

“A small display of vintage tractors proved a popular diversion away from the main event. Much attention centred on the longest nettle contest and growing potatoes in a bucket challenge, both of which are fun mainstays of the show.”

Prize-giving took place later in the afternoon, with committee chair Sue Wallace announcing the winners who were presented with their silverware by Tom Eames.

In all, more than £1,000 was raised for the 2024 Flower Show’s two supported charities, Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) and The Church of St Mary the Virgin, Wambrook.