Golden night as Hunstanton claims Britain In Bloom success

There’s a golden glow over Hunstanton after the resort achieved national recognition for its blooms.

The town scooped gold in the annual Britain In Bloom awards, which were presented at a ceremony in London on Friday night.

And, despite missing out to St Andrew’s for the top prize in the coastal category, officials say the group is already “bubbling” with ideas for next year.

Group chairman Carol Bower said today: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have won gold. It really is a thank you to the huge team.

“The borough gardening team are fantastic, the Adopt-a-Bedders and people like that right through the town work so well together. I think that’s the secret of it all.”

The latest award comes just six weeks after Hunstanton was named as the overall winner of the Anglia In Bloom competition, a result which means the town is likely to compete for national recognition again in 2020.

Judges particularly praised the town’s Esplanade Gardens as a “real joy” and were also impressed by the community orchard and displays promoting the drive to cut plastic pollution.

Mrs Bower said: “There’s going to be more next year. We’ve got lots of ideas, we’re bubbling with them. We just want to keep the momentum.”

The announcement came ahead of a reception at Lynn’s town hall yesterday for In Bloom and heritage volunteers from across West Norfolk.

Britain in Bloom judges’ chairman Darren Share said: “It’s incredibly humbling to hear about the huge efforts invested in making our villages, towns and cities greener places to live, work and visit.

“Gardeners are increasingly having to respond to the changing climate, declining pollinator numbers and plastic waste and more communities are galvanizing people around these issues to bring about positive change.”