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Haverhill-based Centre Stage Company had plenty to celebrate at the end of the Haverhill Drama Festival last week, as they picked up three awards and a host of nominations.

The group put two entries into the annual one-act play competition, and both received plenty of praise from top adjudicator Paul Fowler of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators, who will this year be judging both the English and British finals.

The three-day competition, held at Haverhill Arts Centre, was won by Skateboard Theatre, from Foxton, with a stunning production of Love In A Glass Jar by Nancy Harris.

But Centre Stage lifted the runners-up trophy for their production of a new play written by one of their members, David Hart, and entitled To All Intents And Purposes.

The play won the award for best new play and so impressed the adjudicator he has put it forward as an entry for the National Drama Festivals Association's annual nationwide competition for new writing, the George Taylor Award.

Steve Powter of Centre Stage won best actor for his role in the play, and director Chris Hart and two other members of the cast, Becca Neal and Emily Mizen were nominated in their categories.

Centre Stage's other entry, The Cobbler's Ball by Jim Sperinck, received nominations for director Lorraine Mason, and cast members Tom Cross, Jamie Lake and Denise Clayden.

Winners Skateboard Theatre also lifted trophies for best actress (Geraldine Hindley), best director (Chris Hindley), and best cameo role (Michael Flintoff), and the Frances MacGechan Memorial Star for best stage presentation.

Two members of the cast of Sawston Dramawise's production of The Method won the Alan Smith Youth Award, while the Don Mackay Adjudicator's Award went to Swavesey RADSOC for the sound effects in their production of a ghost story, Tunnel Vision.

Haverhill Drama Festival is free to both entrants and audiences - the only such drama festival known in the country - thanks to sponsorship from Haverhill Town Council.

At the presentations at the end of Friday evening, adjudicator Paul Fowler paid tribute to the festival, which he said was well-known and highly-valued throughout the country because of its unique standing, and said much of that was due to its organiser, Haverhill Town Council arts and leisure manager Nick Keeble.

Mr Fowler, who attends and adjudicates numerous festivals all over Britain, urged local people and groups to continue to support it and make sure that its unique nature was preserved.