After all the bustle of the last two trading weekends we thought we had found the perfect antidote over the August bank holiday weekend by joining the Staffs and Worcester Canal Society as they gathered to celebrate to canal's 250th birthday at Bratch Locks.

The Bratch is arguably the single most significant built structure on the canal, with its three almost interconnected chambers lift the waterway alongside the equally impressive Victorian Bratch Pumping Station. Originally these were a three lock staircase but in an atempt to save water interveing side pounds were built and today water swirls this way and that, offering a fascinating spectave to visitors.

Anyway, with about 30 boats in attendance we figured this would be a nice low key event where we sould sit in the shade with a beer or two and sell the odd pot of jam whenever the bell rang. Oh how wrong we were! The local population flocked in to see the event and most, it seemed, made a beeline for The Jam Butty. The result was another near record couple of days trading and we watched the stock levels dwindle at an alarming rate!

So, with one trading event left this season we think we have just enough to satisfy the jammy craving of our friends in Netherton, which is just about where we want to be at this stage on the season, I guess.