TAUNTON Flower Show's manager has thanked volunteers and visitors for "supporting the show" for another year.

Beccy Fox, one of only two part-time paid employees at the Flower Show, said: "Vivary Park looked absolutely fantastic in the sun and we couldn't ask for better really.

"We're so grateful to everyone who sponsored the show, volunteered, came to the show, and just made it what it was."

Speaking about the main arena acts Beccy said: "The Rock Choir absolutely smashed it, and the falconry was exciting. They did lose a bird on Friday, but it came back after a little adventure around Somerset.

"The sheepdogs are always well received and the Extreme Bike Battle was popular on both days."

She added: "We had William Sitwell [on the Bellman Memorial Stage in the Floral Marquee], he was very popular. I'm grateful to him because he gave up his time for free to come and it was really well attended."

Responding to feedback on ticket prices this year, which cost £25 on the door for Friday and £20 for Saturday, Beccy said: "It's tricky because we're just looking to cover costs, not to make any profit, and to keep the show going into the next year.

"The charity looked quite diligently at ticket prices before they were released, and we offered tickets for £15 starting in November and lots of opportunities for a discount throughout the year.

"Our costs have gone up 40% since Covid and the last few years when we tried to keep prices low we've made a loss, which is not sustainable. It's not something we take lightly, it's hard for us to feel like we're charging people more than they would want to pay, but it's symptomatic of the cost of living.

"Children are always going to be free, we're committed to that as a charity."

Becky added that although some compared the event to the Armed Forces Day, the two were "not comparable" as Taunton Flower Show costs "nine times" the amount to put on, due to the "infrastructure we have to bring in to make it work."

Discounted early-bird tickets are expected to be released for Taunton Flower Show 2025 as early as November.