A PERFECT venue and an excellent response!

That's how organisers hailed this year's Widnes and District Horticultural Show a huge success.

"The children's section was particularly good and exhibits were well up on last year," said joint show secretary Ann Martindale.

"Ditton Community Centre was a perfect venue and we had an excellent show."

Stunning blooms, magnificent vegetables and sumptuous cakes were among the prize-winning exhibits.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Halton, Cllr Peter Lloyd Jones and his wife, Martha, presented the awards.

Best exhibit in show went to Mr A Lyon for a fine display of onions.

Halton Council's parks and gardens were commended for once again putting on a splendid exhibit.

Next year's show will be on Sunday, September 3, at Ditton Community Centre.

bjordan@worldgroup.co.uk

Widnes & District Horticultural Society and Gardening Club Annual Show

Winners: Vegetables: Class 1: Collections of vegetables: 1st W Twigg, 2nd O Keir. Class 2: Five tomatoes: 1st A Lyon, 2nd A Lyon, 3rd A Lyon. Class 3: One cucumber: 1st A Conlan, 2nd W Pugh, 3rd B Flanagan. Class 4: Three beetroot: 1st A Lyon, 2nd A Lyon, 3rd B Wood. Class 5: Six French beans: 1st W Twigg. Class 6: Six runner beans: 1st A Lyon, 2nd A Lyon, 3rd A Lyon. Class 7: Five white potatoes: 1st O Keir. Class 8: Five coloured potatoes: 1st B Abbott, 2nd B Abbott, 3rd W Twigg. Class 9: Three onions each over 8oz: 1st A Lyon, 2nd A Lyon, 3rd W Pugh. Class 10: Six onions under 8oz: 1st A Lyon, 2nd A Lyon, 3rd A Lyon. Class 11: Three carrots with 3" tops: 1st B Abbott, 2nd W Twigg. Class 12: One truss of tomatoes ripe/unripe: 1st A Lyon, 2nd M Tough, 3rd Mrs R Leigh. Class 13: Three kinds of vegetables: 1st A Lyon, 2nd A Lyon, 3rd B Flanagan. Class 14: Two leeks: 1st W Pugh, 2nd W Twigg, 3rd W Twigg. Class 15: One cabbage: 1st E Hughes, 2nd O Keir. Class 16: One specimen onion: 1st A Lyon, 2nd O Keir. Class 17: Six shallots over 1" diam: 1st O Keir. Class 19: Any single vegetable not otherwise classified: 1st TS Tran, 2nd E Hughes, 3rd E Hughes. Fruit: Class 20: Four dessert apples: 1st A Brothers, 2nd A Brothers, 3 Miss M Clayton. Class 21: Four culinary apples: 1st A Stobbie. Class 22: Four pears: 1st M Tough, 2nd A Stobbie, 3rd M Tough. Class 23: Any other dish of fruit: 1st O Keir, 2nd A Brothers, 3rd B Barry. Roses: Class 24: Six HT roses in bowl: 1st B Wood, 2nd J Byron. Class 25: Specimen rose: 1st J Byron, 2nd B Wood, 3rd RA Usher. Class 26: Three HT rose in vase: 1st B Wood, 3rd RA Usher. Class 27: Three stems of floribunda roses: 1st J Byron, 2nd J Byron, 3rd RA Usher. Flowers: Class 28: Vase of annuals: 1st J Bryon, 2nd B Wood, 3rd A Conlan.

Class 29: Vase of annuals one variety not classified: 1st B Wood, 2nd W Pugh, 3rd J Byron. Class 30: Vase of hardy perennials: 1st J Byron, 2nd RA Usher, 3rd J Fahey. Container Plants: Class 31: Hanging basket up to 14": 1st R Martindale. Class 32: One pot plant in flower: 1st Mrs M Fahey, 2nd W Pugh, 3rd B Wood. Class 33: One begonia: 1st A Stobbie, 2nd A Stobbie, 3rd A Conlan. Class 34: One pot plant for foliage: 1st B Barry, 2nd Mrs A Martindale, 3rd B Wood. Class 35: One geranium: 1st B Wood, 2nd B Wood, 3rd Mrs A Martindale. Class 36: One single fuchsia: 1st Mrs B Tough. Class 37: One double fuchsia: 2nd Mrs E Stobbie. Chrysanthemums: Class 46: Three blooms: 1st B Abbott. Class 47: One specimen bloom: 1st B Abbott, 2nd B Abbott, 3rd B Abbott. Class 48: One vase of sprays three stems any variety: 1st O Keir. Class 49: One vase of sprays shown for effect: 1st B Abbott. Dahlias: Class 50: Three vases, three blooms per vase, one variety per vase: 1st T Sullivan, 2nd W Twigg, 3rd A Conlan. Class 51: One giant: 1st W Twigg, 2nd A Conlan. Decorative: Class 53: Three medium: 1st T Sullivan, 2nd T Sullivan, 3rd T Sullivan. Class 54: Three small one or more varieties: 1st W Twigg. Class 55: Three miniatures one or more varieties: 1st T Sullivan, 2nd W Twigg. Cactus or Semi Cactus: Class 56: Three small one or more varieties: 1st T Sullivan, 2nd W Twigg, 3rd W Twigg. Class 57: Three medium one or more varieties: 1st T Sullivan, 2nd A Conlan. Ball: Class 58: Three small: 1st W Twigg. Class 59: Three miniature or more varieties: 1st W Twigg. Gladioli: Class 62: One vase of three gladioli: 2nd A Conlan. Class 63: One gladiolus: 1st A Conlan. Cacti and Succulents: Class 64: One cactus: 1st Mrs J Forber, 2nd B Wood, 3rd Mrs P Roberts. Class 65: One succulent: 1st B Wood, 2nd Mrs B Tough, 3rd W Pugh. Floral Art: Class 67: Harvest time: 1st Mrs ME Usher, 2nd Mrs J Draper, 3rd Mrs M Hopkins. Class 68: Days of the week: 1st Mrs ME Usher, 2nd Mrs ME Usher. Domestic: Class 69: Four Eccles cakes: 1st Mrs R Leigh, 2nd Mrs E Stobbie, 3rd Mrs J Forber. Class 70: Four scones: 1st Mrs J Forber, 2nd Mrs I Davenport, 3rd Mrs J Forber. Class 71: Four mince pies: 1st Mrs B Tough, 2nd Mrs J Forber, 3rd Mrs J Forber. Class 72: Apple pie: 1st Mrs J Forber, 2nd Mrs R Leigh, 3rd Mrs E Stobbie. Class 73: Sandwich cake: 1st Mrs J Forber, 2nd Mrs J Forber, 3rd Mrs E Stobbie. Class 74: Jam: 1st Mrs E Stobbie, 2nd O Keir, 3rd O Keir. Class 75: Fruit curd: 2nd Mrs J Forber. Handicraft: Class 76: One crocheted and/or knitted article: 1st Mrs I Davenport, 2nd Mrs P Rothwell, 3rd Mrs ME Usher. Class 77: One embroidered article: 1st Mrs P Moore, 2nd Miss M Clayton, 3rd Mrs E Stobbie. Class 79: Sketch or painting: 1st Mrs L Gorman, 2nd Mrs P Allen & Mrs L Gorman.

Class 81: Any article not otherwise classified: 1st Mrs V Carson, 2nd L Lunt, 3rd T House. Photography: Class 82: A castle: 1st R Martindale, 2nd Mrs B Tough, 3rd Mrs B Tough. Class 83: A horticultural subject: 1st R Martindale, 2nd B Flanagan, 3rd Ms K Wycherley.

Children's Section: Class 84: Sketch, drawing or painting: 1st M Dainteth, 2nd T Dainteth, 3rd E Fahey. Class 85: Handicraft: 1st N Rietiker, 2nd A Rietiker, 3rd A Flanagan. Class 86: Photograph: 1st J Duckett, 2nd E Flanagan, 3rd J Duckett. Class 87: Garden in seed tray: 1st N Rietiker, 2nd A Rietiker, 3rd K Hogg. Class 88: Small Cakes: 1st E Flanagan, 2nd C Smith. Trophies and Medals: Carter Rose Bowl: A Lyon. Ford Trophy: A Lyon. C Martin Shield: J Byron. Holbrook Gaskell Cup: R Martindale. NSG Service Group Trophy: B Wood. TSB Trophy: B Abbott. Dobson Cup: O Keir. Miss Gossage Cup: W Twigg. Norton Trophy: T Sullivan. Silver Candelabra: Mrs ME Usher. Cook Trophy: Mrs J Forber. Margaret Dobson Trophy: Mrs J Forber. Martindale Shield: A Lyon. Bradburn Trophy: A Lyon. Little Miss Gossage Cup: R Martindale. Roland Robinson Cup: Mrs I Davenport. NDS Silver Medal: T Sullivan. NDS Bronze Medal: W Twigg.

NVS Medal: A Lyon.