Grower Edgar Hurley went to Barrow’s Civic Hall with an armful of flowers and came away with a table full of silverware, reported The Mail in November 1988.

Mr Hurley, of Norland Avenue, Barrow, won eight trophies at Barrow Chrysanthemum Society’s annual show that year.

On a very successful day, his haul included the trophy for best chrysanthemum exhibit and the national society silver medal.

Honours for the horticultural classes went across the Duddon Estuary to Millom with Ron Jackson proving unbeatable.

His three trench leaks won the federation blue ribbon for best horticultural exhibit in the show and his onions won the Fairhurst Trophy.

Father and son partnership Richard and Terry Hurley scored a triple first.

They took the Lady Fisher Rose Bowl, Fisher Trust Diamond Jubilee Trophy and the North West Evening Mail Trophy.

A year later, in November 1989, The Mail reported how green-fingered growers had produced an amazing display of colourful chrysanthemums and prize-winning vegetables at the 62nd annual show staged by Barrow Chrysanthemum Society.

Flower entries were up on the previous year, said show manager Roy Spittle.

With the Civic Hall out of action, the society held the show at Scott’s Social Club on the Strand.

Maurice Wall, of Redoak Avenue, claimed the top trophy for his chrysanthemums, although he had only begun showing in the novice section four years previously.

His wife swept the board in the home industries section.

Three generations of the Hurley family, grandfather, father and son, repeated their success of 1988 and earned 11 trophies with their expertise with flowers.

Meanwhile, Millom's Ron Jackson took the top award for his vegetables.

The youngsters also proved to be a talented bunch with 11-year-old Mark Mawson, from Roose, producing a huge pumpkin and claiming a first prize and teenager Julie Limes proving her worth in the baking section.