A Norfolk farmer has lifted his club's coveted grain trophy after growing an award-winning barley crop.

Melton Harrold, of GW Harrold, was the supreme champion among 48 malting barley entries in Holt and District Farmers’ Club annual competition.

His sample of the Laureate variety, grown at Church Farm in Heacham, will now be judged against Stalham Farmers’ Club’s champion barley for the supreme inter-club award.

Meanwhile, the best winter barley was grown by Jim Alston of Calthorpe Farms, who was delighted with his first-ever win.

Stuart Sands, chief executive of Great Ryburgh-based Crisp Malting Group, presented the pewter trophy for the best Maris Otter sample to Lewis Hicks, who had drilled and combined the crop for Mr Alston.

Chris Borrett, of grain merchants Adams and Howling, told the club’s 73rd annual meeting that a three-week weather window in August had enabled Norfolk’s specialist malting barley growers to harvest good quality crops for the brewing and distilling industries.

Despite 100mm of rainfall in July followed by another 80mm in early August, he said three weeks of dry weather between August 8 and August 26 enabled crops to be combined.