Twenty Four competitors were blessed with clear blue skies and sunshine at Friends of the Lake District’s Annual Hedge Laying Competition on Saturday 21 January.

The event, held at New Hall Farm, Staveley was part of the Lancashire and Westmorland Hedge Laying Association Grand Prix series, bringing together novices, juniors and professional hedgelayers to show off their skills and lay 163m of hedge between them.

After competing in five different classes, the winners were chosen by judges Martin Robinson and Gordon Strickland. The results were as follows:

OVERALL WINNER           Peter Gibson

MOST IMPROVED             Danny Hodgson

CHAMPIONSHIP Class     

 1st         Peter Gibson

2nd        Andrew Kirkwood

3rd         Jasper Patchek

OPEN Class        

1st          Craig Procter

2nd        Steven Boyes

3rd         William Bell

NOVICE Class    

1st          John Handley

2nd        Aidan Handley

3rd         James Haigh

JUNIOR Class     

1st          Danny Hodgson

2nd        James Dodgson

3rd         James Yates-Bell

STARTER Class   

1st          Jake Dixon

Ruth Kirk, Friends of the Lake District competition organiser said: “A well-laid hedge not only provides a barrier for livestock which is attractive to look at and intrinsic to the appeal of the Lake District landscape; it’s also an important habitat for some of our declining countryside birds. The skill and technique required to lay a hedge well can’t be underestimated and as usual, we were delighted to welcome many spectators to the event. It’s heartening to know so many people are keen to keep this rural skill alive and thriving.”

See more photos of the event on our Facebook page.