Brentwood's green fingered experts are blooming marvellous after scooping a top prize at the coveted Anglia in Bloom Awards.

St George's Church in Ongar Road was named the winning of the best drought garden category when the results were announced at a special awards ceremony at the Ocean Rooms in Gorleston on Sea.

Brentwood also claimed the silver prize in the best small city category and Bentley St Paul's School received a certificate for being highly recommended.

The best drought garden honour completes a hat trick for St George's Church which was a double winner in the Brentwood in Bloom competition where it scooped the best religious grounds and best team effort prizes.

This was the rewards for many weeks and months of hard work by volunteers who helped transform the church as part of a project spearheaded by the Brentwood Town Centre Partnership to brighten up the gateways to the town.

St George's was picked by judges at the Anglia in Bloom contest from entries from around 50 communities in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.

In March, director of the Brentwood Town Centre Partnership, Jane Bennett, who adopted the St George's project, said how pleased she was with the work.

She said: "We want to make sure that when people come to visit the town they are greeted with attractive and welcoming sights."

Anglia in Bloom Chairman of Judges, George Dawson, said: "The judges do not look for floral excellence alone and it is not just about what is done by the local authority.

"The way business and commercial premises are enhanced, environmental matters and also residential front gardens, for example, are taken into account."

Published Friday September 17, 2004

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