Organisers of Brightlingsea in Bloom have hit out at the town council for the "appalling" and "filthy" state of some areas being judged in the competition.

They have attacked the council's "apparent lack of input" and claim there was a hidden agenda of non-co-operation preparing for the prestigious event.

Britain in Bloom judges visited the town on Monday and a statement from the bloom committee to Brightlingsea Town Council mayor Tom Dale listed a catalogue of complaints.

"A large number of residents expressed their anger at the lack of input by the council.

"This included the appalling flowerbeds in Ladysmith Avenue ... the only flowerbeds maintained by BTC..."

It went on to criticise the window boxes at the Parish Hall, "where a few odd plants had just been shoved into old compost and left to die."

The statement said bloom volunteers weeded several areas the week before the judging, and it attacked the standard of grass cutting. On judging day the area in front of the Parish Hall was in a "filthy state."

"On the morning of judging day still no Brightlingsea Town Council workers could be found.

"Council workers from Tendring District Council and Essex County Council were much in evidence."

On Thursday night town councillors discussed the issue.

Councillor Cornelius Olivier said: "If this organisation feels things are not working very well and if they can provide very considerable evidence to the affect of this then the situation needs to be resolved straight away."

Jo Ruffell said: "I felt embarrassed at the end of last week because I was contacted to ask if there was anything I could do."

She said the fact the council groundsman did not know the route of the judging last Thursday was "unforgivable and inexcusable."

Mayor Tom Dale said an investigation would take place and a meeting with Brightlingsea In Bloom.

Last year the town was a national finalist and has won the best small town category since 1996.

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