Martin Riggall, former chief executive of the Processed Vegetable Growers Association, was handed the lifetime achievement award at this year's Grower of the Year Awards in London.

Riggall, who retired last year, oversaw the transition from the PVGA to the British Growers Association.

Earlier in the evening F&T Schembri was named Edibles Grower of the Year, having already collected the award for best salad grower.

Anthony Snell collected the soft-fruit award on behalf of his company AJ & CI Snell, while Harper Farming came out on top in the vegetable section.

Best top-fruit grower was John Portass, Wisbech Contract Farming, while Whetman Pinks won the protected ornamental grower category.

Among the other winners on the night were Cheerfull Gold pears and Tomkin tomatoes as best new varieties, the Great British Cucumber Festival in the marketing campaign category and Majestic Trees' Tree Finder for best business innovation.

In the individual categories, Loddington Farms' MD James Smith was young grower of the year, Lee Stiles of Lea Valley Growers Association was best support professional and James Moffatt from James Coles was employee of the year.

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