Watch the ladybirdie as retired vet takes top prize

A keen amateur photographer and member of his local camera club, Mr Schubert, from Easingwold, took the top prize in the creatures in the garden category while an image of blossom against blue sky by David Oakes from West Yorkshire won the spring into life category.

Both will have their photographs turned into a canvas work of art by sponsors Square Studios and are on view at the show which finishes tomorrow at the Great Yorkshire showground.

Visitors will enjoy equally impressive and intricate works of art in the floral art marquee where topics depicted range from cartoon brides to the Olympics.

Eileen Barraclough, a member of three clubs, Bradford, Bingley and New Dimension, won the best in show award in the flower arranging classes for her interpretation of A Great Romance while Elizabeth Askam from Sheffield picked up the equivalent in the floristry section for her Flowers for a Bridesmaid.

Students from Doncaster College picked up a gold award and the best college for their floristry depiction of The Black Death.

Six colleges had to chose a historical event under the title “All in the Past” and Doncaster came up with their own Doctor Death figure linking it to the children’s rhyme Ring o Ring o Roses.

Wigan and Leigh College also got a gold for their Elizabeth I and Walter Raleigh while their were silver awards for East Durham College for Sinking the Titanic, Craven College’s War of the Roses, Shipley College with the Queen’s Coronation and Askham Bryan College for the Berlin Wall.

Students from Askham Bryan were also involved in a new Have a Go feature at the show encouraging visitors to try out dry stone walling and other skills.