The annual Potato Challenge at St Florence Church garnered a remarkable £1,820 this year, bringing the community together for fun and charity.

The competition got started on March 8, when participants gathered at St Florence Church to collect their bucket and potato. Then they returned on July 5 for the Grand Weigh-In (at Grandiflora Garden Centre, as the weather looked uncertain). The moment of truth had arrived! Had all that cosseting, watering, feeding been worthwhile?

While the riddlers did their job, back at the church people socialised, enjoying coffee and cake. They were entertained by the singer Abbie Rose. Tower tours were popular as people negotiated the steep spiral staircase to be rewarded by a magnificent view over the village of St Florence, around 4 miles from Tenby.

Word spread that the results were in! The excitement was palpable as more people crowded into the church to hear if they would be a winner. The number of potatoes harvested from the 150 buckets sold was 2,271, weighing a total of 74.25 kg!

Results are as follows: Adult class: Heaviest crop – Paula Jeffrey (3016 g) ; Largest number – Anju and Lawrence Mathias (80). Children’s Class: Heaviest crop (3156 g) and largest number 62 – Hadleigh, aged 3, who was declared overall champion. The School also did very well with their entries.

Rev’d Martine Johnson presented the prizes and congratulated the winners.

Thanks go to sponsors for their unfailing support: Puffin Produce Ltd/ Blas y Tir (potatoes, prizes); Giles Birt of Birt and Co (buckets, stickers); Jon Brace from JB Roofing (rosettes) and Jewsons, Pembroke.

The many volunteers who willingly gave their time are heartily thanked, while the event’s hard-working organiser, Jenny, deserves heaps of praise for ensuring the Potato Challenge continues to be an enjoyable and fun event, open to all.