ANTHEA WALSH only decided she would enter Richmond's annual garden competition in the hope she would be able to share the fruits of her labour with others who appreciate the work involved.

So she was a little surprised to discover, not only had her terraced lawns, borders, vegetable garden and paddock caught the judges' eye, but she had scooped the top prize in both the large garden category and the Pattison Shield for the overall winner at the first attempt.

"I'm not ambitious and didn't set out to win," she said, during a brief tour of her handiwork at Swale Cottage. "I just wanted to share our garden, after all, where is the pleasure if there is no one to share it with?"

Mrs Walsh - whose family has owned the house overlooking the River Swale since the Second World War - is from the little-and-often school of gardening, estimating she spends four to six hours a week on a hobby which she admits is relatively new.

"When she was younger, her mother wouldn't let her near the gardening in case she ruined something - and now she's just the same," joked husband, Bertie, yesterday.

But, even though the family has won some silverware, there are no plans for regular entries in bigger competitions.

"However, I understand there are plans to open gardens in Richmond which enter the competition in future," said Mrs Walsh "I think that is a good idea and would certainly support it."

Other winners in the competition, run annually by Richmond Town Council, were Mr L Neasham, who took the prize for a medium-sized garden; Mr J Courtley, who won the small garden category; The King's Head Hotel, which won the commercial section, and The Black Lion, which was judged the best floral pub.