GLOUCESTERSHIRE Root, Fruit and Grain Society's inaugural tillage event proved an outstanding success.

Rob Hewlett, farm manager for Boddington Estate and society chairman, hosted the event on land at Ashchurch.

He said: "The society was established in 1863, regularly running farms and crops competitions, and this year we decided to try something different, so the idea of a tillage event was born."

Farm machinery dealers from across the area were invited to demonstrate tractors and tillage equipment on the heavy land at Ashchurch.

The day was a year in the planning and what a success it turned out to be. Glorious weather helped attract over a thousand farmers, contractors and operators to see the machinery in operation.

Forty tractors and machines were on site, and Chris Tallis, of Chris Tallis Farm Machinery Ltd, Hinton-on-the-Green, said: "From a dealer's point of view, the event was very worthwhile. We saw many customers on the day and had several good inquiries."

After such a successful day, Mr Hewlett said he now expected the tillage event to be held at a different venue every two years.

5 One of the oldest John Deere tractors in the country, a 1928 16hp GP, was taken to the event by Bill Cowley, of Flyford Flavell, and it is pictured, below, with a 2003 John Deere 8520, a 330hp machine from Chris Tallis Farm Machinery Ltd, of Hinton-on-the-Green.