KEEN gardeners gathered in Malvern on Saturday for Malvern Horticultural Society's Summer Show.

The 40 competitors showed more than 300 exhibits of plants, flowers and vegetables of all shapes and sizes.

Dr Tony Hughes, show manager, described the event, held at Dyson Perrins School, as a "riot of colour."

"It was superb, an excellent day," he said.

Dr Hughes added that the sections for flowers and vegetables were extremely competitive, with the best in show award going to Gordon Russell for an excellent basket of vegetables.

Mr Russell had a triumphant day, winning several other awards, including most successful competitor.

Simon Lampitt won the top prize in both pot plant classes and the flowers section.

Junior gardeners also joined in the fun with a new competitor, nine-year-old Charlie Dunn, winning the first Young Gardeners' Shield for her tomato plant.

Her eight-year-old sister Lucy also won a prize, she gained most points in the under-11s section.

Other prizewinners at the event were new faces Margaret Chamberlain, who won the floral art section, and Phil Hopkinson, who was given the award for most successful horticultural exhibitor who had not won a prize before.

The Women's Institute award was a real battle, with Poolbrook triumphing over Malvern Link by just one point.

n Gardeners will have the chance to compete again at the Wyche and Colwall Horticultural Show at Colwall Village Hall tomorrow. The event, which is the 60th anniversary show, features more than 70 classes and is open from 2pm to 5pm.

All the cup winners...

AWARDS: Most Points in Flowers Section - Simon Lampitt; Most Points in Pot Plant Classes - Simon Lampitt; 1st Prize Dahlias - Gordon Russell; 1st Prize Gladioli - Gordon Russell; 1st Prize Specimen Rose - Ken Crump; 1st Prize Sweet Peas - Gordon Russell; Most Points in Vegetables and Fruit Section - Gordon Russell; Most Meritorious Vegetable Exhibit - Gordon Russell; 1st Prize Basket of Vegetables - Gordon Russell; 1st Prize in Floral Art, Class 45 - Mrs Betty Dakin; 1st Prize in the Floral Art Novice Class - Mrs Margaret Chamberlain; Most Points in the Floral Art Classes - Mrs Margaret Chamberlain; Best Photographic Exhibit - Tony Hughes; Most Points in Classes for Children aged 11-15 - Marc Crump; Most Points in Classes for Children under 11 - Lucy Dunn; Best Item grown by a Junior - Charlie Dunn; 1st Prize in Class for Women's Institutes - Poolbrook WI; Most Points in Cakes & Preserves Section - Lesley Clark; Best Horticultural Exhibit - Gordon Russell; Winner of most prize money in Horticultural Sections - Gordon Russell; Exhibitor with most points in Horticultural Sections who has not previously won a cup - Phil Hopkinson.