FORMER Holy Trinity Church choirmaster and organist Vernon Burchell has pipped one of his keenest rivals to the top trophy at this year’s Bradford on Avon Flower & Produce Show.

Mr Burchell took the Bradford on Avon Potato Challenge Cup for the best potatoes in the show - beating his rival Neville Day, who took the Avonfield Cup for the most points in the fruit and vegetable section.

Mr Burchell, 83, of Church Street, who is a previous winner at the show, said: “I am very pleased. It’s been an excellent show.

“I thought there would not be so many entries this year but there have been as many entries as before the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Mr Burchell also scored a first for his crystal lemon cucumber and a second for his sweetcorn.

Mr Day, 65, from Southville Close, is a regular winner at the show who normally sweeps the board with his fruit and vegetables entries.

This time, he finished with 16 firsts to score most points, and said: “It has been a strange year, we are never going to get the weather we want.

“When it rains, I don’t have to go out and water the garden so it works both ways. A lot of the vegetables and fruit turned too soon.”

Bradford on Avon’s deputy mayor, Cllr Katie Vigar, presented trophies to the winners as the show ended on Sunday afternoon at St Margaret’s Hall.

Sarah Knee won the Tillions Trophy for the most points in the cookery section, for her bread rolls, gingerbread cake, cheese scones and flapjacks; while Tina Vivian won the Flower Cup and the Floral Art Cup.

Hazel Short won the Ms B Avon WI Craft Cup, while Leonie Mourant took the Jam Cup for her preserves.

John Potter, one of the organising committee members, said: “It is a real pleasure to be back again after last year.

“The number of exhibits and exhibitors has recovered to what they were in previous years before the pandemic.

"We had nearly 90 contestants and well over 300 entries in the various classes. More than 300 visitors on the day, and a lot of very positive feedback."