RESIDENTS and traders from Wellington and its surrounding communities have helped the country’s oldest flower show to bounce back from a financial threat.

They visited and/or exhibited in the annual Taunton Flower Show, which has been described as the ‘Chelsea of the West’.

The show, held in Taunton’s Vivary Park on Friday and Saturday (August 2 and 3), attracted hoardes of visitors despite higher ticket prices of £25 for the Friday and £20 on Saturday because of financial losses suffered in the past couple of years and the lasting impact of the Covid pandemic.

This year was the 193rd show, the first being held in 1831, and event manager Becky Fox said she was ‘cautiously confident’ for the future as visitor numbers had rebounded.

Last year, the show was struck by high winds and rain during Storm Antoni, which saw the Met Office issue an amber weather warning, meaning a risk to life.

But Ms Fox said a boom in ticket sales for the weekend’s event helped by warm and sunny weather had given show organisers hope for the future.

As well as the competitive floral focus of the show with about 250 different classes, a host of other activities took place with talks and demonstrations in the marquees.

There was also a range of entertainment for all ages varying from sheepdogs to extreme biking in the main arena to magic and games in the show’s children's village.

Live music was performed on the show’s Wilton and Fountain Stages and culinary delights from all over the world were served by a host of different food traders.

Commercial displays in the floral marquee were being sold off at 4 pm on Saturday before the show was due to close at 5 pm.

Parking for Taunton Flower Show was being allowed by Bishop Fox’s School, which was said to be a 10-minute walk along Stockwell Stream from Vivary Park.

A £5 parking donation was being requested by Taunton Rotary, which was operating the car park, with all the money going toward helping to keep the flower show running for the future.