JUDGES from Britain in Bloom visited Dursley today to assess the floral displays in the town.

The Dursley in Bloom team are feeling optimistic about their chances of repeating last year’s gold medal success.

Two Royal Horticultural Society judges arrived at Dursley Methodist Church to meet with the Bloom team as well as town mayor Neil Grecian and pupils from Rednock.

This year’s Bloom effort has seen volunteers in the community rally in force to hang 40 baskets in the town and several new raised flower beds.

“I’ll be disappointed if we don’t get gold again this year,” said Dursley in Bloom chairman Penny Hyde.

“I'm really impressed at how much support we have received from the community, including pupils from local schools who have helped out along the way."

Pupils from Rednock and Dursley Primary Academy have helped litter-pick around the town alongside the campaign.

Rednock pupils also helped build new flower beds which will be displayed outside the library within the next week.

Dursley Town Council has assisted with this year’s scheme by providing a considerable amount of grant money which has largely been used for raised beds, but it has also provided extra pairs of hands to assist with heavy lifting.

Town mayor Neil Grecian said: “Thank you to all of the peple who have been involved, it is great to see the town looking so good.

“So many people in the community have been involved, which shows how important the RHS scheme is, it is not just about planting flowers but urges volunteers to get involved.”

Town council clerk John Kay praised the work of volunteers who have made the project possible.

“This has all been done by volunteers, the town council have pitched in by lending extra pairs of hands for heavy lifting but we also contributed grant funding.

“Seeing 40 hanging baskets around the town has really helped improved the town visually and freshened it up, but the campaign is also about the things that you don’t see, the community involvement that has made it all possible.”

RHS Britain in Bloom is a nationwide community gardening campaign which was started in 1964 in a bid to transform cities, towns and villages and urge people to help improve their local environment.