Whaley Bridge’s last big summer event, the Garden Show, in the Bowling Club, shrugged off the impact of a poor summer with colourful displays of flowers, an impressive collection of king size leeks and onions – and a big surprise from a little boy.

Harry Stevenson, aged seven, from Kettleshulme produced a showstopper in the children’s section, a life-size owl made from fruit and vegetables. It won him first prize, as well as the best child entry in the show.  #hint – click on picture for high resolution image#

My owl: Harry Stevenson, with his prizewinning figure made mostly from pineapple

Harry, a pupil at Whaley Bridge primary school, went shopping with his mum on the night before the show. After visiting three different shops – and spending £12 – they had the ‘ingredients’ for the owl:

A big pineapple, for the body and wings
A small melon for the head
A carrot for the nose
Black grapes and radishes for the eyes
Aubergine for the eyebrows
A lemon for the feet.

Sweet peas, which had defied cool and wet weather, were a much admired display. Beth Brown, 20, pictured, will be taking sweet memories of Whaley Bridge back to Hallam University, Sheffield, where she is studying primary school teaching.