A TSUNAMI of slugs failed to ruin this year's Wallingford Allotments and Gardens Society autumn show.

Gardeners at the event agreed, in all their years of growing they had never seen anything like the garrison of gastropods which attacked fruit and veg in the town this year.

The march of the molluscs was partly blamed on the record-breaking warm December.

Show secretary Sandra Halstead said: "I thought this year's show was really good considering what a hard year we've had.

"Everyone was plagued with slugs eating things they've never eaten before.

"I live up on Nuffield Lane and this is the first year in 20 I've had a slug invasion."

Despite the onslaught, more than 30 producers entered immaculate sets of perfect potatoes, beautiful beans and cracking chrysanthemums for inspection at Centre 70 on the Kinecroft on Saturday.

Judges from the National Vegetable Society presented Peter Willis with the highly-coveted Top Gardener title for his three sets of perfect veg and three perfect flowers.

Mayor of Wallingford Ros Lester presented prizes to him and other winners, before accepting a nomination as WAGS president for the foreseeable future.

Mrs Halstead said the one thing that could improve the show next year was having more youngsters enter its children's categories.

Find out more about the group at wags-wallingford.com