IVER'S own drama group the Richings Players has won a top award for the second time in three years - following a triumphant trio of productions.

The Flame Award was presented by NODA (The National Operatic and Dramatic Association).

NODA rep Judith Watsham said the award was for 'excellence in all three of The Richings Players’ productions last season - a traditional yet very original pantomime Panto in the Stone-Age, a compelling drama Blue Stockings and a magical production of The Wind in the Williows.”

She said: "All three productions were performed to a very high standard, all with totally different staging which showed the group’s versatility and ability to offer audiences a wide variety of entertainment performed to almost professional levels both from a performance perspective and a technical one'.

Last June’s The Wind in the Willows directed by Will Torrent saw Iver Village Hall transformed into a riverbank, Badger, Ratty and Moley’s houses, the Wild Wood and of the course, Toad Hall.

Will, who is vice-chairman of the Players attended the NODA award ceremony in London with chairman Evelyn Stafford-Allen and members Howard and Joan Gibbs.

He took the opportunity to share the praise with the two men who designed and created the Wind in the Willows sets, saying: “I’m absolutely delighted. This play was very special and Malcolm Roberts and Richard Evans, with the help of many others caught the vision I had for it and helped bring it to life. This award is a real testament to the huge amount of hard work, effort and time, we as a society put in to making our sets as professional as we can – well done team.”

This month many of the cast of last autumn's production Blue Stockings will reunite to perform it again - this time at the 150th Anniversary of Girton College in Cambridge. Rooted in real events in and around Girton College, this will be the first time the play has been performed at Girton College amid the Victorian buildings where the story unfolded.