HOOK’s village show has been dubbed by organisers as the “the best yet”.

Last Sunday’s renewal in Hook Community Centre included a flower and produce show and whole host of other stalls and activities in Hartletts Park, making it a day to remember for the hundreds of people who turned out.

The community centre was “a riot of colour”, filled with colourful flowers and fine vegetables grown by green-fingered folk within the community, to accompany creative cakes, tea stand displays, bread and crafts.

The younger residents also played their part in creating a wonderful array of colours and offerings, with some extraordinary ‘Vegemals’ – animals sculpted from vegetables – wowing visitors.

Outside in the early autumn sun, Hook Morris Men danced and entertained crowds, as Hook and Odiham Rugby Club was the £100 tug-of-war prize donated by Bernice and John Wall.

One the highlights of the day was the visit from the last-ever Routemaster bus off the production line, driven to Hook from its home at the National Bus Museum in Weybridge.

The show was helped out financially by The Big Lottery Fund, Awards for All, which saw almost £1,000 added to the Hook in Bloom kitty.

Hook In Bloom volunteer Sue Hinton said: “So many people want Hook to bloom, for the centre of Hook to be improved, and for there to be a village show that we just had to organise the show to bring a community event to the village and help swell the in bloom coffers.

“The more people that volunteer to help with in bloom, the more successful the project will be. Thank you everyone for your skills, sponsorship and above all time, and to all the families who came along on the day.”

Throughout the day, the eagerly-awaited results of the Hook In Bloom competition were announced by MP Ranil Jayawardena too, with the high standards giving the judges something of a headache trying to pick their winners.

The winners included The Hogget for the best hotel, restaurant or pub, Keith and Moira Edwards for the most attractive front gardenl, and Dean Kirk for the best residential hanging basket.

Following the conclusion of the competition, north-east Hampshire MP Mr Jayawardena said: “Well done to everyone who took part in the competitions, it was great to see so many superb entries.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who have worked so hard over the past weeks and months.

“Without their dedication and commitment, this successful family event simply would not have been possible.”