The national hedge laying championships took place last month in Oxfordshire with the overall supreme championship being awarded to Colin Clutterbuck of Stanton Drew (pictured) using the North Somerset style.

The competitors are given a length of hedge, which they lay in their own style. When viewing the finished hedge, the Devon style being a low hedge but always on the top of a bank. Farmers and landowners would have maintained the boundaries without the use of wire or the modern flail hedging machinery.

There were two classes at the national championships for the North Somerset style, open and intermediate.

In the open class, won by Colin with Alex Bown of Binegar second, Chris Chivers of Midsomer Norton third, and Paul Gulliford of Backwell fourth. Mr. Gulliford also won the prize for the best regrowth of North Somerset style. The judges of the North Somerset style were Paul Keel from Churchill and Peter Yates from Dorset, with David Keedwell from Chew Stoke stewarding.

Some of the winners received their awards from BBC Countryfile presenter John Craven.