PASSIONATE dramatists from Ilminster triumphed with four top awards at the County Drama Festival.

Ilminster Entertainments Society were overall winners in the preliminary rounds of the All England Theatre Festival National Competition, and Philip & Rowena, written by Gillian Plowman and directed by Louise Adams, was awarded The Hope Cup for Best All Round Presentation.

Sheila Bowman won the title of Best Actress in the Festival and IES’ costumiers were celebrated with the Endeavour award.

Rachel Lawrence, front-of-house manager at Ilminster’s Warehouse Theatre, which hosted the two-day event, said: “It was a great festival and a success on a number of levels – IES’ success is the icing on the cake.”