Some of the children of Parkham County Primary School at work on their entries for a competition based on an Easter tradition that dates back to the Dark Ages.

The tradition is that of decorating hard-boiled or blown eggs as symbols of re-birth and the National Farmers’ Union has organised the competition to revive interest in the art.
The entries from something like 7,000 children from 60 schools in the West country are to be judged on the quality of workmanship and originality of the design. The prizes at school level are being sponsored by individual egg producers, in the case of Parkham Mr Paul Cooper, of Littleham, the regional poultry secretary.
Judging at Parkham will be on February 24 and the winners go through to regional finals in early March. The national finals will be staged in London in Easter week.
Gazette article dated 17 February 1978