Cheshire East Mayor, Councillor David Marren, praised the part gardening and growing produce brings to the well-being of the borough at Alsager's 69th flower, vegetable and homecraft show.

Opening yesterday's event, Cllr Marren congratulated the town and Alsager Gardens Association for organising the event which he said helped create a sense of well-being.

"This show has been taking part since the 1950s and I congratulate those involved for putting on the show and organising the event," he said.

"Events like these play such a big part in developing a community and I congratulate those for taking part and for all their hard work."

A packed Alsager Civic saw a variety of exhibits from fruit and vegetables to photography and needlecraft.

And one Alsager youngster was delighted after winning first prize in the decorated vegetable section.

Sebastian Moran with his prize-winning octopus

Nine-year-old Sebastian Moran, a pupil at St Gabriel's Catholic Primary School in Alsager, made an octopus using courgettes grown on the family's allotment in Cedar Avenue.

The youngster used a water melon and eight courgettes attached with carrot rings to bring the character to life in the decorated vegetable to depict an animal section.

Sebastian said he had lots of fun bringing the character to life, using cocktail sticks to attach the courgettes to the melon to make his octopus.

Well done to all those who took part in this year's show – the exhibits looked amazing!