West Norfolk’s open spaces were recognised today (13 September) at the annual Anglia in Bloom awards held at Charter Hall, Colchester.

Hunstanton was named coastal category winner and achieved a Silver Gilt Award, and there was a double celebration for the King's Lynn team which secured a Silver Gilt overall and won the Best Public Open Space Special Award. And the medal success continued with Downham Market gaining a Silver Gilt Award, Ringstead a Silver, Heacham a Silver Gilt and South Wootton a Silver Gilt.

Each year West Norfolk communities come together as part of this horticultural campaign which seeks to make the most of public open spaces. As well as creating stunning floral displays, the ‘In Bloom’ teams have worked on a range of community projects, engaging people from a wide variety of backgrounds in community clean-ups, planting events, front garden competitions, and sustainable planting initiatives, all with one aim in mind - making West Norfolk a nicer place to live, work and visit.

Local businesses have also been involved in helping to make King’s Lynn and Hunstanton shine this summer: over 146 hanging baskets were sponsored in the two towns, bringing splashes of colour to the shopping precincts and local firms Johnston Sweepers and Thaxter’s Garden Centre, Dersingham showed their support by donating prizes for the front garden competitions in the two towns.

This year’s highlights include the completion of a heritage trail celebrating Hunstanton’s connection with Saint Edmund and a public plant out where over 800 native coastal plants were used to transform a walkway to the promenade.

And couples tying the knot at King’s Lynn Town Hall’s registry office can now capture the romance of their nuptials in the courtyard garden, which has been given a horticultural makeover. The once tired space now boasts colourful herbaceous perennials and a ‘living wall’ adorned with plants.

Cllr Elizabeth Nockolds, Borough Council Cabinet Member and Chairman of the King’s Lynn in Bloom Committee, said: "I am absolutely thrilled to see so many West Norfolk successes, and am particularly proud that The Walks has been named the Best Public Open Space. Residents and visitors often comment upon the quality of public open spaces in the area. Such a standard has only been achieved because so many groups of volunteers and individuals have shown pride in their community and been invovled in In Bloom. I offer my thanks to all, volunteers and borough council officers, whose hard work has made our parks and gardens beautiful spaces for the community to enjoy."

Now Hunstanton, which is one of just 76 finalists invited to take part in the prestigious RHS Britain in Bloom campaign, awaits the national results, which will be announced on 25 September.

For more information about West Norfolk’s Anglia in Bloom campaign please visit www.westnorfolkinbloom.co.uk