Coverack Horticultural Society will be welcoming exhibitors and visitors to its special 60th anniversary show today, Saturday.

Taking place in the Lambeage Hall, the show committee is marking the occasion with a display of photographs from years gone by and a new colour schedule.

The show, in its current format, has been an annual event in the village diary since 1955. As far back as the 1920s, Coverack had an agricultural show, which was disbanded in 1951 as tractors replaced heavy horses and farming methods intensified.

The final show, a horse and dog show, which included exhibits in horticulture, cookery and handicrafts, was held in a field at the Beacon, on the St Keverne road, and included classes for driven horse teams with collars and harnesses to hunter trials.

The wish for an annual competition lived on and in April 1955 a meeting was held to discuss reviving the show, but without livestock. The first show was held in St Peter's Hall on July 30, 1955 and was a great success.

Many of the classes in today’s schedule are based on the same classes of vegetables, flowers and cookery – although 60 years ago the domestic section had classes for a trussed chicken and dough cake, while today there is fancy bread and decorated cupcakes.

Some of today's exhibitors are descendants of those who formed the first committee. The oldest, most prized cup, the Hebden Coome Challenge Cup for most points in vegetables, was donated by Hebden Coome, the one-armed landlord of The Paris pub.

The most recent cup was given by Angela Richards, daughter of the legendary shopkeeper, Brenda, and is awarded for most points in traditional Cornish Cookery: a pasty, heavy cake, fairings and splits.

This year’s show opens at 2.30pm and exhibits can be taken on the Friday evening between 6pm and 8pm, and Saturday morning from 8am until 10am. Schedules and information are available from Gloria Knight 01326 280532. The new schedule is also available as a digital download.