The sea of yellow returns to Westow CC (From Gazette & Herald)

The sea of yellow returns to Westow CC

TEN years since the national spotlight fell on Westow Cricket Club when three sides of its ground was surrounded by oil seed rape, the sea of yellow has returned - this time on all four sides.

In the spring of 1994, pictures of this small village cricket ground were featured in national newspapers, after Gazette & Herald photographer Frank Dwyer spotted the ground tucked away beneath the mass of yellow. Such was the interest that margarine manufacturers St Ivel visited and took photographs of the players eating sandwiches during a break to advertise a new product. And one villager, who was working in San Francisco at the time, was most surprised when one of his colleagues gave him a copy of The Times newspaper which had his home cricket ground splashed across the page.

Now, for the first time since then, the ground is once again surrounded, this time completely after the field across the road has also been planted with oil seed rape. It is likely the seed will remain until June.

Villager Julie Price said: "Players from opposing sides who suffer from hay fever or allergies are advised to come prepared. At home matches on a warm day for the next few weeks, Westow will have the equivalent of a twelfth man, the oil seed rape!"

Updated: 11:04 Wednesday, May 05, 2004