Hedgelaying under way at Saturday's Isle of Wight competition. Picture by Robin Crossley
A MAN who specialises in tree care, conservation and environmental landscaping won the top prize for the third time in a row at the 21st annual Isle of Wight Hedgelaying Competition.
Tom Murphy, who runs the Wootton-based wood fuel venture, Living Landscapes, brought the art of hedgelaying to life with his show of cutting and binding skills on Saturday.
The competition returned to Dunsbury Farm, Brook, after the planned site at Bathingbourne was washed out by the recent poor weather.
Mr Murphy won the open event and defended his title as the Island s best hedgelayer for a second time in succession by beating Whitwell's Oz Hoskyns, who finished runner-up for the third year in a row.
Jim Clinton won the novice class by a point, with his brother, Noel, finishing third. Nat Purcell was the unlucky runner-up.
In the team event, Dunsbury Farm, which comprised Paul Johnson, Jim Valentine, David Tasker and farm owner, Patrick Seely, won on their own turf.