FLORAL displays throughout Dursley underwent close inspection by judges for a national competition - and gardening group Dursley in Bloom hope their months of hard work have paid off.

Two judges from Heart of England in Bloom – a competition that awards Bloom groups across the country on their efforts to enhance their towns – toured Dursley last Friday to assess the work carried out by the town's group.

After receiving a silver gilt award in 2015 – a slight dip after their gold award in the previous year – Dursley in Bloom will hope to return to their former glory when the decision is announced in September.

Chairman of the group David Butterfield told the Gazette he didn’t think he’d seen the town looking better, and praised both Dursley in Bloom and other community groups for their outstanding commitment to improving the town.

“It’s very difficult for me to know how we’ve done because I don’t know the criteria the judges use, but I had a walk around the town yesterday and this morning and, thanks to our members, I don’t think I’ve seen it look any better,” he said on the day the judge's arrived.

“I hope that the community involvement we’ve had this year – working with students from Rednock and the Peak Academy, as well as Scouts, Beavers and Cubs – will help us.”

Group member Penny Hyde spoke to the Gazette about the pre-judging day nerves.

“There’s been a few sleepless nights. I used to be a teacher, so this is a bit like having Ofsted come in,” she said.

Mayor of Dursley Neil Grecian, welcoming the judges to the town, echoed the comments of Mr Butterfield.

He said: “They certainly deserve a gold. The town is looking better than it did last year.

“I was at a meeting in Gloucester recently and, when telling people from the north end of the county I was from Dursley, they responded by saying what a nice little town it is.

“The difference people have made over the past six or seven months has just been tremendous.”

The judges will decide which award Dursley in Bloom deserve based on the quality of displays, but also community engagement. The results will be revealed in September.