FOOD, drinks and crafts were all on show at Bradford’s Flower and Produce Show this weekend.
The event celebrated its tenth show on Sunday, September 8, at St Margaret’s Hall, Bradford, which saw seen the most entries, and entrants, in its history.
More than 500 entries were received this year by more than 100 entrants, which is a record for the show in its biggest year yet.
Hundreds of people flooded the hall to see the winners of categories such as: Most Amusing Vegetable, Longest Runner Beans, Largest Marrow, or Heaviest Tomato.
The mayor of Bradford, Simon McNeill-Ritchie, presented trophies to the seven winners, who were: Neville Day, winner of the Potato Challenge Cup and Avonfield Cup, Caroline Williams, winner of the new Miss B Avon WI Craft Cup, Rachel Sheppard, who won the Flower Cup, Tina Vivian, winner of the Floral Art Cup, John Potter who won the Town Council Jam Cup, and The Young Baxendales who won the Tillions Trophy for Cookery.
Cllr McNeill-Ritchie said: “As well as being a fantastic annual event for the people of Bradford, it fits in very nicely with the work we’re trying to do on climate change at the moment.
“It’s so good that young people can see the connection between the food on their plate and where it actually comes from.
“It’s also good to encourage people to eat local produce.”
Joceline Bury, one of the four members of the show’s committee, was thrilled with this year’s ‘amazing turnout’.
She said: “I couldn’t believe how many turned up this year, the hall is packed!
“We always keep this event free to visit and free to enter so that everyone can get involved and it’s worked a treat this year!
“It’s just brilliant that we’ve had the most entries ever, it’s our biggest yet.”
Vernon Burchell, 81, grows vegetables in his garden and was proud to win the heaviest tomato category.
His monster tomato weighed one pound and 14 ounces, and was grown ‘by accident’.
He said: “I was shocked when I saw how big the tomato grew!
“It grew that large over around 4 months, but isn’t ripe.”