Christopher Allen

In the charming village of Upton Snodsbury, Worcestershire, the local allotment committee faces a devastating crisis. Led by the pompous but kind-hearted Mr. Cabbage, the committee includes colorful vegetable-named characters like crisp Mrs. Lettuce, purple-faced Mr. Turnip, enthusiastic Miss Carrot, wise Old Mr. Parsnip, practical Mrs. Beetroot, fiery Mr. Radish, and gentle Miss Pea. Their carefully tended plots are under siege from an army of slugs and snails that munch through their leafy vegetables day and night, leaving silver trails of destruction in their wake.

Desperate for a solution, the committee decides to hire professional pest control experts. Mrs. Lettuce drafts an advertisement offering twenty delicious redworms per week to each successful applicant, with no tax deductions, and posts it in Mr. Pickle Green's local newsagent shop.

The advertisement catches the attention of two unlikely heroes: Harley the Hedgehog, a brave and spiky creature who loves rolling into a ball, and Timothy the Toad, a wise and patient amphibian with excellent hopping skills. These extraordinary animals possess the rare gift of speech and literacy, granted by a fairy godmother who encouraged them to use their abilities to help others in need.

The duo applies for the position, leading to a spectacularly chaotic job interview. Harley accidentally rolls into a spiky ball and bounces around the meeting hall, while Timothy's attempts to help result in further mayhem. Despite the pandemonium, the vegetables recognize that this very chaos might be exactly what they need to surprise and deter the pests.

Hired for their unconventional approach, Harley and Timothy begin their pest control duties with a revolutionary method: instead of harming the slugs and snails, they speak to them with gentle, kind words that make the creatures feel genuinely guilty about damaging the vegetables.

Claire Francis

Harley the Hedgehog & Timothy the Toad: At the Upton Snodsbury Allotments

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