TELEVISION gardener Alan Titchmarsh entertained delegates at a hugely successful amateur theatre conference in Ilkley.

More than 100 delegates from the Little Theatre Guild (LTG) of Great Britain visited Ilkley during the weekend for the 58th Annual Conference and AGM, as guests of Ilkley Players.

Conference organiser Jennie Aron said: "The conference went extremely well, everybody was very happy and there were lots of congratulations, despite the windy weather."

Jennie said Alan Titchmarsh was in particularly fine form.

"Alan did the business," she said. "His first time on the stage was at Ilkley Playhouse so it held a lot of memories for him."

Alan, who is patron of Ilkley Players, spoke at a celebratory lunch at the Craiglands Hotel on Sunday, which coincided with the Players' 75th anniversary year.

He was presented with an original sketch reminding him of his first stage performance.

"He spoke a lot about his TV work with Charlie and the team on Ground Force and about Ilkley itself," said Jennie. "The audience lapped him up."

The conference was addressed by Frank Suadwa (Licensing) and Darryl Smith (Access) both of Bradford MC, and John Holmes, an independent trainer in Food Hygiene. Nancy Slessenger of Vine House Essential Ltd addressed the delegates on Managing Difficult People.

On the artistic side a talk-shop featuring local playwright Maureen Lawrence and professional stage and television director David Giles was featured.

The delegates also saw a special extra performance of the "Beauty Queen of Leenane" on the Saturday Night.

The LTG is completely different from most drama associations in that all the members own or long-term lease their own theatres.

This means that their concerns are not just with putting on plays to the highest of standards but are also with maintaining their buildings and complying with all the myriad baffling and time consuming legislation relating to places of public entertainment.

Alan Titchmarsh (third from right) with LTG Youth Co-ordinator Philip Bradley, National Secetary Barbara Watson, director David Giles, LTG

Chairman Niall Monaghan, Players Chairman Ian Wilson, and Players Performance Director Pat Dyson