Rain puts a stop to asparagus festival

The heavy rains that have deluged Britain may be good for the ducks and our drought-hit reservoirs, but they've been every asparagus farmer's nightmare.

There is so little asparagus available that the British Asparagus Festival this weekend has had to be called off.

The incessant rain and floods have dealt a double blow to Worcestershire's quirky and much-loved festival that normally sees thousands of people descending on the Vale of Evesham to discover all the latest asparagus recipes and growing tips.

Organiser Angela Tidmarsh explains: “We were expecting asparagus to be scarce due to the unseasonally good weather at the start of the year followed by the recent deluge.

"However, this week’s flooding means that the asparagus crop is almost completely dormant. What’s more, the venue for the festival has been under several inches of water when the River Avon burst its banks.

"It’s ironic as the British Asparagus Festival was started as a way of helping the area recover after the severe floods of 2007."

There are hopes that the celebration of asparagus will be able to take place in some form later in the month and that the crop will be available for the famous auction at the Fleece at Bretforton on 27 May.

"At this rate, it will be selling at record prices," she said.

The annual festival usually features stalls selling all-things asparagus including soap, sausages and sweets. Local chefs do cookery demos, an asparamancer reads people’s fortunes using the vegetable and there was even due to be asparagus toothpaste on show this year.

Angela said: “We’ll crown the King of Asparagus with an asparagus crown at the auction and recreate elements of the festival at the Fleece at Bretforton.”