PETER Lofthouse is celebrating a ‘once in a lifetime’ accolade after success at the Over Peover Gooseberry Show on Sunday.

Peter won the Association Cup for the biggest berry grown across all eight shows in the Mid-Cheshire Gooseberry Association this year.

The Over Peover show was held at The Dog Inn at Over Peover, and Peter also won the Premier Berry title at the show with a Bellmarch berry weighing 34 pennyweights and five grains.

Peter is also celebrating the success of a garden he designed for the RHS show at Tatton Park.

The garden was called The Last Great Gathering, and won a Silver Medal at the show.

It was entered by the Mid-Cheshire Gooseberry Association, and showed the gathering and picking of gooseberries, depicting a typical allotment in 1914 halfway through picking.

“It is a major achievement to win the Association Cup, and is a once in a lifetime accolade,” said Richard Okill, who helped to organise the Over Peover show.

“It is difficult to get the biggest berry grown that season, and the growing conditions this year were poor. The season was early this year, the berries ripened too early and were attacked by wasps.”

Richard came second in the Premier Berry class, and helped to create the garden for the RHS show. This year the nominated charity was the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and Sarah Porter attended the show to receive the cheque for £200.

 

 

Over Peover Show Results

Heaviest berry recorded: 1995 David Lowe, Lord Kitchener, 36.20. James Wild Cup, heaviest premier berry: Peter Lofthouse. Alpine Laager Trophy, championship plate: Peter Lofthouse. Harold Gregory Trophy, heaviest twins: Richard Okill. Margaret Watson Trophy, Most points gained: Les Stanier. E Coppack Trophy, heaviest Woodpecker premier berry: n/a. RL Massey Rose Bowl, heaviest red premier berry: Les Stanier. Joe Tatchell Trophy, heaviest white premier berry: Peter Lofthouse. Ken Hall Memorial Trophy, heaviest green premier berry: n/a. Roy Taylor Challenge Cup, 2nd premier berry: Richard Okill. W Greenhough Trophy, heaviest Edith Cavell premier berry: n/a. Bernard Pickup Trophy, most improved grower: Gary Stanier. FW Booth Tankard, heaviest triplets: n/a. Jean Street Trophy, most points in colours only: Les Stanier.

Glen Nightingale Bowl Ladies Prize, heaviest berry: n/a. Premier berries: Peter Lofthouse, Bellmarsh, 34.05. Richard Okill, Montrose, 28.05. Les Stanier, Christine, 27.17. Gary Stanier, Firbob, 25.11. Noel Street, Newton Wonder, 23.01. David Lowe, Mr Chairman, 20.15. William Okill, Newton Wonder, 19.18. Ian Greenhough, Montrose, 18.14. Matt Parkinson, Newton Wonder, 14.07. Peter Clarkson, Just Betty 4.12. Martin Read, no berry. Keith Knowles, no berry. Lawrence Hobday, no berry. Triplets – no berries. Twins: Richard Okill, Newton Wonder, 41.12. Gary Stanier, Newton Wonder, 40.12. Les Stanier, Christine, 39.23. Noel Street, Newton Wonder, 36.09, David Lowe, Edith Cavell, 33.02. William Okill, Newton Wonder, 29.10. Peter Lofthouse, Newton Wonder, 26.05. Ian Greenhough, Bank View, 17.17. Matt Parkinson, Newton Wonder, 15.17. Peter Clarkson, Just Betty, 8.00. Colour berries – Red: Richard Okill, Just Betty, 25.16. Les Stanier, Christine, 25.06. Gary Stanier, Just Betty, 19.22. Ian Greenhough, Blackden Gem, 17.20. Peter Lofthouse, Just Betty, 16.21. Noel Street, Just Betty, 16.19. William Okill, Lloyd George, 15.23. David Lowe, Just Betty, 15.11. Pater Clarkson, Just Betty, 3.21. Yellow: Peter Lofthouse, Woodpecker, 30.13. Les Stanier, Montrose, 28.22. Richard Okill, Montrose, 24.19. Gary Stanier, Firbob, 22.12. Noel Street, Montrose, 22.04. David Lowe, Millenium, 18.03. Ian Greenhough, Montrose, 16.16. Matt Parkinson, Montrose, 11.10. Green: Les Stanier, Bank View 26.08. Peter Lofthouse, Woodside, 20.04. Richard Okill, Woodside, 19.03. Gary Stanier, Bank View, 18.21. David Lowe, Bank View, 18.00. Ian Greenhough, Bank View, 14.12. Noel Street, Bank View, 10.21. William Okill, Bank View, 8.11. Matt Parkinson, Bank View, 7.17. White: Peter Lofthouse, Bellmarsh, 27.06. Richard Okill, Newton Wonder 23.22. Les Stanier, Newton Wonder, 23.11. Gary Stanier, Newton Wonder, 21.06. David Lowe, Mr Chairman, 20.12. Noel Street, Newton Wonder, 20.04. William Okill Newton Wonder, 14.03. Matt Parkinson, Newton Wonder, 13.04. Peter Clarkson, Newton Wonder, 10.00. Show Plates – Championship Plate: 1. Peter Lofthouse; 2. Les Stanier; 3. David Lowe. Red: 1. Les Stanier; 2. Richard Okill; 3. Gary Stanier. Yellow: 1. Les Stanier; 2. Richard Okill; 3. Gary Stanier. Green: 1. Les Stanier; 2. Peter Lofthouse; 3. David Lowe. White: 1. Richard Okill; 2. Les Stanier; 3. Peter Lofthouse. Most points gained: 1. Les Stanier 108; 2. Richard Okill 80; 3. Peter Lofthouse 73. After Show Plates – Mixed Plate: Les Stanier; Red: William Okill. Yellow: Ian Greenhough. Green: Matt Parkinson. White: Noel Street. The Mill Lane Challenge: Les Stanier.