Northampton has been crowned the winner in the “City” category of this year’s East Midlands in Bloom floral awards.
Following the judges’ visit earlier this year, Northampton fended off the challenge from a host of other entrants to be named top of the class for its flower displays and commitment to keeping the town looking at its best.
Jeff Bates, chairman of East Midlands in Bloom, said: “This year the grey skies and prolonged periods of heavy rain caused a number of problems but high standards were maintained and there were lots of excellent examples showing communities working together to bring long-lasting improvements to their area.”
Each of the entries was judged during July and August on horticultural expertise, the maintenance of the local environment and the involvement of all sectors of the local community.
Bradlaugh Fields was singled out for a gold award by the judges, while the St Crispin development, in Duston, won a silver in the “Best Small Village” category.
Northampton will now go on to compete in the “City” category of the Britain in Bloom awards later this year.
Councillor John Caswell, cabinet member for the environment, said: “It is great to see all the hard work that people have put in this year rewarded, and once again Northampton stands head and shoulders above the competition. It really has been a team effort and we can all be very pleased with ourselves.”