GREEN-FINGERED Basil Hobson's allotment was first choice for judges choosing the best in the borough.

Baz's Plot 51a on the Willaston Parish Site was the pick of the crop in the annual competition.

Second place went to J Brown from the Henry Street Site.

Third for the second year running was Mr Bebbington of the Ruskin Road Site and fourth was Mrs W J Charlesworth of the Shavington site.

Fifty plots were judged and competition was keen. Just one point separated each of the three winners.

The judges were experts from Reaseheath College, Steve Davies (Head of Horticulture) and Derek Jones (part-time lecturer).

They also picked winners for each borough and parish site.

"Standards were high, not only in levels of cultivation and tidiness, but also in creativity, technique and range of produce grown," said Cllr Mandi Park, Environment Health chairman.

Following press articles about vacancies the borough has recruited some new plot holders.

There's still room for more and anyone interested should contact Howard or Martin on 537244 or 537238.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.