A garden centre is flushed with success after scooping a prestigious award ... for its toilets.

The high-class WCs at the Classic Pot Emporium, Boxted, were commended by judges in the Loo of the Year competition.

The judges were bowled over by the intricate tiling in the lovely lavatories. Emporium owners Phyllis and Graham Wallace entered the competition for a joke.

Mrs Wallace said: "It was just a tongue in cheek thing to enter when we were building the loos.

"When we won the award I was amazed. We are a wholesaler of terracotta flower pots and have this site with its own garden centre.

"Last year we decided to knock down the abysmal loos here and build rather smart ones with elaborate tiling."

She said winning the commendation has become an endless source of amusement.

"The jokes are just flowing in. When I went down I was a bit embarrassed, but in the end I had quite a good time."

But the awards are taken seriously by other contenders which included winners Westminster City Council and the Channel Tunnel.

The Wallace's award is going in the most appropriate place - the toilets.

Winner - Graham Wallace with his award.

Picture: STEVE BRADING

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