Suffolk vintage ploughing event honours founder Henry Castle

The annual H&D's Ploughing Weekend returned to Timworth, near Bury St Edmunds, in memory of Henry Castle who founded the competition with Donald Sapsford.

On Saturday and Sunday (September 23 and 24), there was a large gathering of all kinds of tractors, with families getting together for a show that is said to be one of the last of its kind in Suffolk.

On Sunday, the competition took place with various tractor categories including novice, classic mounted, Ferguson, ladies, and a fun round that was not judged.

This year the event was held in memory of Mr Castle, who sadly passed away with cancer earlier this year.

Organiser Alan Havelock said: “Although H&D’s ploughing weekend started five years ago, Henry was holding these events for the last 20 years.

"Don and I have taken on the event to keep it going in his memory. We're not going to change the name.

“It’s always been held to raise money for local charities around Bury St Edmunds – St Nicholas Hospice and Macmillan, charities close to everybody's hearts.

“I have always been in the background giving them a hand here and there. Henry wasn't very well last year so I helped set it all up on the day last year with Don, and now I'm helping to keep it going.”

Mr Havelock added that these kinds of shows are slowly dying out in the county: "I come from a family of farmers and although I'm not one myself, I'm a tractor person.

"My great granddad used to be a ploughman with horses. In Suffolk, these shows are slowly dying out now.”

All proceeds went to St Nicholas Hospice in Bury St Edmunds.