Months of hard work have paid off for the Marlborough in Bloom committee after the town won the South West Tourism Association Cup and was named best new entry.

It is the first year the town has entered the South West in Bloom competition. Organisers discovered they had won at the presentation at the Civic Centre in Trowbridge on Thursday.

All entries into the competition are awarded a gold, silver-gilt, silver or bronze award, or a certificate of commendation.

The Marlborough in Bloom committee was thrilled when it was announced that the town had been awarded a silver-gilt in its inaugural year.

Chairman Alison Galvin- Wright said: “It was absolutely marvellous. It was a great result for Marlborough.

“We owe a great thanks to the community and to the council grounds team. The committee was so pleased with the people in the community who got behind it and most of the shops in the High Street did something, be it official or unofficial.

“We are hopeful that it will gather more momentum and different people will be able to oversee different parts of the town.”

The Marlborough Community Orchard was also named best community initiative.

Mayor Marian Hannaford-Dobson said: “I’m delighted. We didn’t expect to do so well in our first year.

“We only had a budget of £200, which we overspent by about £60, but we were up against towns that had much bigger budgets.

“We were out trying to get everything ready, washing telephone boxes, you name it, and we did it all in eight weeks.

“I think doing so well this year will encourage people in the future – it can only get better.”

During the day of judging in July, community groups were on hand to give the judges from the Royal Horticultural Society a tour, including the 17th-century garden at the Merchant’s House and Stonebridge Meadow.