AS A SOCIETY dedicated to mammoth leek growing celebrates its 40th anniversary, an Arnside resident has recalled his founding role.

Daniel Calderbank established the National Pot Leek Society back in 1978 after being "captivated" by the competitive hobby of leek showing several years earlier in the North East.

The retired lecturer told the Gazette he was working in Sunderland at the time when he first visited a leek show, in a function room above a pub in Seaham, County Durham.

On display were pot leeks, also known as pitman's leeks - white and green giants grown in nutrient-rich soil to encourage the widest possible circumference, with a white or blanched area no longer than six inches (15cm).

Mr Calderbank recalled: "I discovered that pot leek shows were held throughout the North East in all mining villages, and prizes offered from early Victorian times until well into the last century reflected the hardship of the working class, and examples included a beast’s heart and tongue, a chair, a china tea set, a pair of made-to-measure trousers, a pair of blankets, two neck ties and occasionally a little money."

He described the North East pastime of raising pot leeks as "a passion rivalled only by football".

After obtaining some leek plants from an exhibitor, Mr Calderbank began to compete and eventually this led to judging. He gave talks to many leek clubs and founded the National Pot Leek Society 40 years ago.

"The interest in pot leeks soon became nationwide," said Mr Calderbank, "and I was particularly pleased when my book, Canny Leek Growing, became a Christmas bestseller in the North East, with The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole and The Guinness Book of Records in second and third place."

The last national show he organised was in 1980, when almost 400 leeks were staged. But Mr Calderbank said that within a few years, shows dedicated to pot leeks began to decline as pits closed following the national miners’ strike and villages lost "their pubs, clubs and souls".

However, the National Pot Leek Society still holds its annual show in County Durham, and Mr Calderbank said that while pot leeks' status "may have fallen, the challenge to grow them remains".