A steel pan band ended up playing among the vegetables at an allotment open day.

Clifford Road allotments, in New Barnet, hosted an open day and summer show last Saturday. A range of entertainment was on offer, including vegetable displays, face painting and a BBQ. There was also live music, including a steel pan band, which ended up playing among the vegetables on display.

Julia Harling, who lives in Tudor Road, Barnet, helped organise and coordinate the event. Miss Harling, 48, said: “It went very well, more than 300 people attended. The music was very popular, you could hear it all the way up the street.”

Nearly two thousand pounds was raised from the day, which is going towards the running of the allotments and to Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice in Barnet.

Miss Harling, a solicitor based in High Street, Barnet, added: “We like to support local charities. Noah’s Ark Hospice really got behind the day, they were really enthusiastic.”

A poster competition involving Cromer Road Primary School and Monken Hadley CE Primary School also took place. Children were invited to design posters leading up to the open day, with the winners and runner-ups displayed on the day.

Homemade cocktails using fruit from the plots were also on offer.

Miss Harling, who has been involved with the allotments for four years, added: “People always get involved after the open day, that’s how I started.

“People complimented us on the atmosphere, everybody who came was really friendly.”