13910/1GAZETTE & HERALD: KEEN gardener Bob Clarke won an incredible 24 trophies at the weekend for his fuchsias and geraniums.

Mr Clarke, 63, a retired builder from Silver Street, Calne, entered two shows over Saturday and Sunday and won ten out of ten classes at one event, and ten out of 13 in another.

Mr Clarke, who won 44 trophies last year, is delighted with the result. "This weekend has been very successful," he said.

Mr Clarke's latest success came at the British Fuchsia Society's South West National Show held in Swindon, and another show in Bath.

"In Swindon I won 12 trophies and a BFS spoon, which is something special in the fuchsia world, and in Bath I won 14 trophies including best in show," he said.

"I entered ten classes there and won all ten and I entered 13 classes in the national show and won ten and came second in the other three.

"I am very pleased as I have put a lot of time into it."

Mr Clarke could not put his finger on just one thing to explain why he keeps winning.

He said: "I moved to this part of the world three years ago and I have a greenhouse and a few bits and pieces and I seem to have a formula that works."

Mr Clarke said that he does spend a lot of time tending to his plants. "I spend a couple of hours with them minimum but there are certain times you don't do much, like in the winter, and then sometimes you can spend all day watering and pottering about."