Green-fingered volunteers from Halesworth were celebrating this week after winning three top awards in the Anglia in Bloom contest.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: Anglia in Bloom awards ceremony at the Ocean Room in Gorleston.Picture: James BassAnglia in Bloom awards ceremony at the Ocean Room in Gorleston.Picture: James Bass (Image: (C) Archant Norfolk 2014)

The town entered the competition for the first time last year and were rewarded with a silver gilt award.

This year the team, led by co-ordinator Dame Tamsyn Imison, went one better and their efforts in and around the town centre was given a gold award.

To make it a hat-trick of awards for Halesworth the Best Garden for Special Needs category was won by the Beech House residential home in Halesworth and the Best Drought/ Sustainable Garden was the roundabout at the junction of Quay Street and Saxons Way.

The roundabouts at Halesworth were planted with plants that can cope with dry conditions and made a stunning sight throughout the summer months.

The Beech House team were up against keen gardeners from St Ives, Ware, Hunstanton and Southend but managed to come out on top.

Halesworth Town Council chairman Annette Dunning praised all the team members at Halesworth and congratulated them on their success.

“It’s amazing, it’s really good. Congratulations to Tamsyn Imison and her fantast team.

“It’s fantastic news. We had no idea. It’s been lovely to come and see them win it as they’ve worked hard for it,” she said.

When the Anglia in Bloom judges visited Halesworth earlier this year they spoke to the Beccles and Bungay Journal and said how impressed they had been with the whole community joining in to make the town look so good.

The judges saw that many shops, businesses and homes in the town all had their own floral displays alongside the larger displays in the town centre.

Bob Ollier, chairman of Anglia in Bloom praised all the entries in this year’s competition.