Champion gooseberry grower retains title as Mid-Cheshire champion

Lee Warhust retains his title as the top grower in Mid-Cheshire.

It was a near-run thing at the Waggon and Horses where his Millennium berry tipped the scales by a whisker at 30 pennyweights 17 grains.

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His berry beat Richard Okill's 30 pw 06 grns at the Over Peover show the previous Sunday which had been the heaviest of the season so far.

Winning berries on display at Marton Gooseberry Show (Image: Supplied)

Champion Lee admitted he would have struggled to retain the title with his premier Ann Archer berry of 28 pw 21 grns at Lower Withington after his worst-ever growing season.

But improved weather gave him the chance of his berries on an allotment at Ellesmere Port putting on a spurt to snatch the title a week later.

Marton Gooseberry Show's winning berries on display in a box (Image: Supplied)

In June, his trees were bettered in a hailstorm and were also suffering from a sawfly attack as the showing season began.

Speaking after the Marton show, Lee said he was chuffed to have retained the title for another year.

Lee said: "But I am a little sad for Richard who is a great grower and puts in a lot of time and effort.

"In my mind I do not doubt that in the future he will beat me if I am not at my best."