Hanging baskets return after health and safety row

Hanging baskets have returned to Chatteris after concerns were raised over health and safety

Hanging baskets have returned to adorn street lamps in a town after they were removed following concerns over health and safety.

Earlier this month, members of Chatteris in Bloom - who previously won gold at the gardening competition Britain in Bloom - were told by Cambridgeshire County Council that they could no longer put their baskets on lamp posts until members undertook a £165 safety course.

Richard Leney, who helps with the town's Christmas lights, took the course to allow the baskets to be put back in place.

Sue Unwin, 64, the president of Chatteris in Bloom, praised Mr Leney for his help and said the group wanted to "get our town looking pretty" rather than focus on red tape.

Sue Unwin said she was happy to be focused on the plants instead of red tape

Forty hanging baskets have now been returned to their hanging position on street lamps across the town.

Britain in Bloom will judge the displays at the beginning of July, and the group hope they will take home gold again.

Anne Wells, the chair of Chatteris in Bloom, said: "We're so grateful to... Richard Leney who is having a day off and coming down and testing all the poles for us."

Ten volunteers joined the effort to get the baskets put back in place.

Richard Leney took on testing the lamp posts to help the group comply with health and safety requirements

Ms Unwin said: " I have faith, people power, we've got it.

"If it wasn't for Leney, we wouldn't be here and Anne our chairperson, who had to fill in the licence and everything else. This is what I'm on about - red tape.

"I don't do red tape, I only do planting.

"We've been doing this for 20 years and not once had an accident.

"We just want to get our town looking pretty," she added.

Mr Leney, who attended a safety isolation course, said: "Helping the bloom team out, [I am] testing lamp posts just to make sure we can get the baskets up and our town looking pretty."

Mr Leney said he was keen to "get the baskets up and our town looking pretty"