We're blooming marvellous!

GREEN-FINGERED garden-lovers in Derbyshire are celebrating after winning awards in this year's East Midlands in Bloom competition.

Spondon came top in the Urban Community award, while Littleover Lane allotments came third in the same category.

Rosliston, in South Derbyshire, scooped the Best Village title, impressing judges with its colourful display at the village hall and medical centre.

And the same category saw second and third places for Middleton-by-Wirksworth and Tansley, both in the Derbyshire Dales.

Spondon has won the East Midlands in Bloom's urban community category in 2004, 2006 and 2007.

Anita Hayes, secretary of the Spondon village improvement committee, said its latest win was brilliant.

She said: "We knew we impressed the judges when they came round earlier in the summer, but to win is fantastic.

"This is the eighth year we have entered and winning is all down to the hard work everyone has put in."

The judges singled out the Wastefields Allotments, off Locko Road, for their "exceptional neatness and high productivity" and in awarding third place to Littleover Lane allotments spoke highly of the "quality of it's management."

David Kenyon, treasurer of the Littleover Lane allotment committee, said he was thrilled to scoop third place in what is the first year it has entered.

He said: "I'm overjoyed, of course – gobsmacked is the only word I can think of.

"Working with the community is very important to us and not only do we open the allotments up for people to visit, but we have school trips here and one school even has a sunflower competition that we run.

"We have 175 plots and 110 plot holders here in just under 12 acres and we carry out regular assessments to ensure they are being kept well.

"Coming third is a great achievement."

Rosliston winning the Best Village title will now see it represent the region in the national awards in Torquay on September 23.

Caroline Alston, secretary of the Rosliston In Bloom group, was at the ceremony, held in Cleethorpes yesterday.

She said: "It is really pleasing and we are proud to be going to represent the region in the national final.

"Many people compliment us on our colourful displays, saying how welcoming we make the village look."

There were also wins for Matlock, which came second in the Best Town category, and Bakewell, which came third in the Best Small Town category.

Judges commended Swanwick, Cresswell, Buxton, Belper, Long Eaton and Ilkeston.

Chris Butler, community development manager at Derbyshire Building Society, said: "We are proud to support the communities we serve, particularly in the area of encouraging economic regeneration.

"These awards play an important role in revitalising parts of the region and bringing visible benefits to cities, towns and villages across the East Midlands.''

Jeff Bates, committee member and judge for the competition, said it was difficult to pick winners, such was the quality of this year's entries.

He said: "Year on year, we are delighted with the standard of entries.Every contributor deserves to be congratulated for their enthusiasm in taking part in East Midlands in Bloom."