Sweltering temperatures did little to discourage visitors from attending the 60th anniversary show of the Wyche & Colwall Horticultural Society.

It was first held in 1942 as a "holidays at home" event, largely inspired by the late W H Grundy and his sun George, who ran the Wyche Stores.

George and his family were among the welcome visitors to the Diamond Jubilee event.

More than 90 local residents gathered at Colwall Village Hall on Saturday, showing exhibits in cookery, plant and vegetable classes plus art and photography.

Visitors to the show could enjoy excellent teas and ice creams while strolling round the many impressive exhibits.

More than 60 prints were displayed in the ever popular photography category and a wide range of mouth watering Dundee cakes enticed the judges in the cookery section.

The society's vice-president Michael Jefferson-Brown presented the major awards in the absence of Jim Tudge, the society's president for many years.

Owen Evans, from Coddington, won the day's major award, the Banksian Medal, given by the Royal Horticultural Society, as well as scooping the Milne Cup for achieving the most points in show and a silver cup for most points in the flower and vegetable classes.

Other winners included Helena Illingworth, of Wyche Road, who won both the National Vegetable Society's medal for her climbing beans and the Rose Bishop Memorial Plate for best Dundee cake.

Other winners included: Colin Lane, most points in flower and vegetable classes by Colwall resident; Colin Ince, Colwall, the Percy Picton Memorial Trophy for his clematis; Will Leaper, of Caves Folly Nursery, won the Old Court Nurseries Rose Bowl for herbaceous perennial; Derek Lewis, Colwall, Elms Cup for sweet peas; Rosalie Cross, Ledbury, Ernest Ballard Cup for alpines; Helen Picton, West Malvern, the Helen Picton Tankard for violas, presented by the late Marjory Ballard.

In floral art, entries were down but the quality was good. First prize was shared between Mrs R Cross, Mrs M Taylour and Roslyn Kirkwood.

Cicely Palmer, from Colwall, took the honours in the cookery classes and Mrs G Hogston, also from Colwall, won the silver cup in the handicraft section.

Youngsters too joined in the fun, Lydia Ashworth, from Coddington, won the cup for the 8-13 years category and Aidan Baird, from Colwall, gained the under 7s cup.

As a special feature of the anniversary show, there was a prize for the family collectively gaining the most points in the various sections. It was won by the Taylour family, of Colwall, with the Illingworths, of The Wyche, second and the Lane family, of Colwall, third.

Awards for the biennial hanging baskets competition, judged at the end of July, were also handed over. The results were: Domestic class: 1 Mr and Mrs M Harford, Albert Road, 2 Mr and Mrs S Harford, Old Church Road; Commercial class: 1 Mr and Mrs Peter Bailey, The Chase Inn, 2 Mr and Mrs G Langley, Oakley House.