BBC Local Radio Chases Through

Regular listeners to BBC Three Counties Radio may be familiar with its 'Treasure Quest' programme.

The idea is that two teams — one representing BBC 3CR listeners and the other BBC Northampton's — compete in a 'treasure hunt' style race, solving a number of geographically specific clues as they chase around the countryside within their respective broadcast areas.

It's usually an entertaining listen, and your website editor frequently tunes into the show — that is, until the lead presenter, Jonathan Vernon-Smith, resorts to what he amusingly refers to as "singing".

Sadly this is worse than hearing the teacher's nails scrape down a blackboard. So, at that point and without fail, your editor's wife immediately intervenes and re-tunes our radio to BBC Radio 4.

A shame really, as your editor has not heard the last hour or two of 'Treasure Quest' for several weeks!

On Saturday morning, 5th March, Tim Wheeler (who is presenter Jonathan Vernon-Smith's sidekick and occasional stand-in) arrived in Haddenham looking for a clue relating to a fermented bacterial product.

After a brief pause outside St Mary's at Church End, the 3CR duo found their way to Banks Park and on to the Vale Harvest Food Market, where they found a local yogurt producer and gained their next clue.

Then it was on to Ford ... 'there be dragons' ... and beyond the scope of this website.

BBC 3CR broadcasts on FM 103.8 — the very best local listen after our own 'Summerfest Radio'!