TOWNS across East and North Wiltshire are celebrating another successful year in the South West in Bloom competition after the judges awarded four towns with the prestigious gold award.

Colourful floral displays and the well-kept public areas of Devizes, Corsham, Calne and Marlborough stunned the judges this year, with many of the towns paying tribute to their dedicated volunteers and grounds staff.

Devizes walked away with a gold for the second year in a row and has plans to enter a new category looking at the town centre next year.

Sarah Williams, of Devizes Town Council, said: “We are absolutely delighted. We have had gold in the past and two years ago we didn’t win it so we learnt not to rest on our laurels.

“We worked hard last year to get gold and hard again this year to keep it and the judges said it was ‘richly deserved’.

“We have had to organise so many people but the win truly belongs to the community.”

A new addition for this year was a scarecrow competition for children at Devizes schools run by the In Bloom committee. Winning entries were displayed on the Southbroom Road roundabout.

Corsham added to its four previous golds this year as well as walking away with the Pennant Cup.

Chief executive David Martin said: “We are over the moon to win gold again. It is an excellent result for us and everyone in the town who gave up their time to help.

“Aside from winning gold and the Pennant Cup, we also got one we didn’t expect. When the judges came they were really impressed with the recycled plastic peacock near Springfields Leisure Centre and they awarded us third place in the best interpretation of arts and landscape.

Calne won another gold this year as well as 15 awards for the In Your Neighbourhood competition.

“We did really well this year, we are thrilled,” Councillor Heather Canfer said. “So many points came from what our ground staff do, and all the other points are to do with the community. They wanted to see community involvement.

“It’s all about the community really, getting it to work together and make Calne better than it is.”

Marlborough, which demonstrated a high standard this year according to the judges, was also awarded gold.

Anne Crawley, chairman of Marlborough in Bloom, said: “Marlborough is thrilled and it just shows how much we’ve changed in the last three years and what a lovely place Marlborough is to live. It is wonderful that the dedication and love for our beautiful town has been recognised by these awards.”