any idea how this much oil could be around the plugs.

Cleaned it up, driven it for a few miles all seems ok.

the gasket on the cam cover was ok, and tight.

oil

as its at the top of the casting above the plugs can only see coming from cam cover gastet or crack in cover?

the hole where the plugs are is almost full to the top.

Agree about cam cover gasket, only real place. The gasket is easily twisted when in place and that amount of of oil coming through a crack is a lot!

Yep, almost certainly cam cover gasket. It's worthwhile buying genuine Ford, I've known cheaper copies to swell and become porous.

and tighten the rocker cover bolts up to specified torque and not by guessing or tight by hand

Definately the cam cover, ours did it last year coming home from Newark and it's now doing it again.

ok, cleaned up all of the oil.
Will check later if I have any new oil, as been out for 100+ miles.