Blooming good floral displays recognised at awards

A Mini Cooper cabriolet in Filby, Norfolk, was filled with flowers to mark 60 years of Britain in Bloom

The winners of a prestigious community floral competition have been named.

The annual Anglia in Bloom awards were held this year at The Carnegie theatre in Thetford, Norfolk.

Entrants vying to be crowned for their colourful and imaginative displays across the East of England gathered to hear the results on Friday.

Huntingdon, in Cambridgeshire, won in the large town category while Filby, in Norfolk, was named best village.

Julia Smith, who was once a judge in the competition hosted by Britain in Bloom, said "beautiful people make a beautiful difference" in their communities.

"[It involves] team working together and engaging the whole community to make the local environment clean, tidy and beautiful," she said.

Anne Wells, chair of Chatteris in Bloom, celebrated the group winning gold for the sixth year running

The Cambridgeshire town of Sawtry beat off competition from Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, to be named the best small town.

Meanwhile, 22 miles (35km) down the road, Chatteris missed out on the town top prize, won by Brandon, Suffolk, but was given a gold award.

It followed a health and safety row over the use of its hanging baskets, which Cambridgeshire County Council deemed to be a potential hazard before changing its stance.

Anne Wells, chair of Chatteris in Bloom, dedicated the gold award to long-standing member Gloria Prior, who died in October.

"Despite the health and safety issues with our baskets, we have gold for the sixth time in a row," she said.

Filby, near Great Yarmouth, has been participating for almost 30 years

Elsewhere, Hunstanton, Norfolk, was named best coastal entrant and the Queen's Corner project, in Weeley, Essex, was deemed best community project.

And Howardsgate and Parkway, in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, was crowned best public open space.

The remaining category winners were:

• Historic parks and gardens - Houghton Hall, Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire

• Conservation or biodiversity project - Filby Bees, Filby

• Sustainable planting - Anniversary Garden, Welwyn Hatfield, Hertfordshire

• Floral display by a community or individual - Ex-Services Club, Wymondham, Norfolk

• Inclusivity garden - Wedgewood House, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

• Supported living - Long Hedge, Dunstable, Bedfordshire

• Grow your own - Kitchen Garden, Houghton Hall, Houghton Regis

• Industrial or commercial area - Post Office Stores, Filby

• Local authority floral display - Howardsgate and Parkway, Welwyn Garden City

• Project by young people under-12 - Ashton St Peter's School, Dunstable

• Project celebrating 60 years of Britain in Bloom - The Wedge, Brandon

• Nature conservation area - Blow's Down, Dunstable

• Parks - The Walks, King's Lynn, Norfolk

• Venue fronts - Floods Tavern, St Ives, Cambridgeshire

• Care homes - Goodwins Hall, King's Lynn

• Burial grounds - Mintlyn Crematorium, King's Lynn

• Churchyards - Rayleigh, Essex