THE hottest Goostrey Rose Festival in living memory saw 13-year-old Samantha Drucker crowned queen.

Large crowds lined Main Road to watch the procession, which was made up of floats and walking groups led by a steam traction engine driven by Terry and Des Bostock.

They pulled a special trailer carrying the gold queen Christine Derrick, nee Collinge, who was Rose Queen in 1968 and the silver queen Clare Woods, nee Leake, who was queen in 1993.

They were accompanied by James Smallwood, who was Crown Bearer 50 years ago.

Samantha, who was crowned in front of last year's queen Abigail Burgess, was accompanied by her attendants Polly Clayton, Francesca Fairhurst, Grace Hey and Ellisse Nasry.

The Rose Bud Queen was Kate Pearson and her lady in waiting was Isla Machin.

There were five attendants, Gabriella Ashbrook, Scarlet-Rose Challinor, Tilly Foster; Brianna Hamilton and Isla Kingsbury.

This year's Rose Day President Bill Ollier has been involved in many community activities, including helping to organise Rose Day and the village’s annual arts festival Goosfest. The MC was Howard Palmer.

The winners of the plank walking competition, which was introduced for the first time this year, proving extremely popular with the bumper crowd, was an all-women team called Always Right.

The day was rounded off by a Ceilidh, which because of the exceptionally warm weather was held on the school field instead of inside the marquee.

On Sunday, a special service was held at St Luke's Church, where the children were encouraged to attend wearing their Rose Day costumes.

Chairman of the Rose Day committee Christina Burgess said: “This was possibly the best ever weather for our annual event, and I was delighted to see so many villagers turn out to support us.

“Rose Day is a traditional village event and yet again it was a great success, but it would not have been possible without all the hard work put in by the committee and countless other volunteers.”

The Jon Lee Cup for the best decorated children's float went to Cops and Robbers.

Four seasons won the best decorated banner and the best community float went to Budge’s Rockers which featured 95-year-old Margaret Kettle. Best visiting Queen's car went to Lower Smallwood

The Festival Bowl, awarded for the best single Rose of any variety, exhibited in a container of the competitor’s own choice, was won by Ayleen Jarvis.

The Luke Brothers Trophy, for the three Roses of one or more varieties, went to Jill Whiling.

The Chairman's Vase, awarded for an arrangement of garden flowers, was won Mark Bowers.

The Hodgson Cup, for a table arrangement including at least one rose, was won by Mrs. P Booth.

The Edward Simpson Cup, for the best flower arrangement of garden flowers in a jam jar by a child under eight, went to Noah Hemming Schofield Memorial Cup for the best garden flowers in a jam jar by a child aged 8-11 went to Cate Clayton.

The children's competition of a vegetable dinosaur was won by Millie Jeavons in the Under 8s category and the 8-11 class was by shared by Seb Fairhurst and Cedric Landau.