GARDENERS from all over the region travelled to Malvern last weekend for the Royal Hoticultural Society (RHS) Spring Show.

None was more excited, however, than nine-year-old twins Adam and Mark Clift from Cam, who had won a competition to teach their mum Lorraine to cook, supervised by Italian chef Felice Tocchini.

The boys took to the stage on Thursday in the Gardeners’ Shopping Pavillion where Felice showed them how to prepare simple recipes using ingredients sourced from the show’s Farmer’s Market.

Woodfields School pupil Adam entered the ‘Countrytastic’ competition while they were visiting the show last year and was keen to include his brother in the experience – although their 11-year old sister Jade chose to watch from the sidelines.

Mum Lorraine said she was left ‘speechless’ by the occasion, which saw the Felice and the boys teach their mum to cook tomato soup, pasta with meatballs with strawberry and raspberry twirls for dessert.

"Mum didn’t say anything on stage," said Adam, "but we’ll definitely be making the meatballs at home."

Elsewhere in the show, Gloucestershire designer Paul Hervey-Brookes was announced as the winner of the 2009 Chris Beardshaw Mentoring Scholarship.

He said:"It's amazing. I'm lost for words. One minute I'm just another gardener and the next I'm in the spotlight.

"I could go up to Chelsea with Chris tomorrow if I wanted but I think I need a minute to let it all sink in first."

Another local exhibitor who did well at the show was CS Lockyer Fuchsias of Coalpit Heath, whose display in the floral marquee earned them a well-deserved silver-guilt award.