PUPILS from St Mary's in Calne hope their help planting flowers in preparation for Calne in Bloom will help secure the town its fifth win in the South West in Bloom competition.

The girls enjoyed trying to arrange trailing plants and flowers creatively with different colour designs in time for the Calne Summer Festival and Carnival, and the school's own Founder's Day, when the whole school can appreciate the flowers as they make their way to St Mary's Church.

Day housemistress for year 7, Chris Hayes, said: "St Mary's Calne girls have been involved in the planting for Calne in Bloom for many years now and every year Calne Town Council invites us to participate in this way.

"The girls really enjoy being hands-on and learning a new skill, and it's also rewarding for them to see the impact it has and the pleasure it brings to many people.

"We hope to continue our partnership with Calne Town Council and Calne in Bloom for many years to come.

Year 7 pupil Iris Nicholson, said: "Lots of passers-by stopped and were very happy to see the colourful flowers in the pots.

"Learning how to plant up the plants and flowers was a really fun and new experience.

"We walked into Calne and then split into groups to plant up the wooden pots and the beehive. There were representatives from Calne Town Council there to show us what to do."

Zia Hambro, also a year 7 pupil, said: "First we had to put on the gloves and then take out the flowers and plants from their pots very slowly so we didn't break the roots.

"Then, after digging up the soil we carefully put the plants in making sure they were neat and not overlapping."