PUPILS at Marlborough's St Mary’s and St Peter’s primary schools spread their creative wings in a butterfly art competition in June, and the winners’ work will be displayed around the town as Marlborough gets set to take part in the upcoming Britain in Bloom competition.

Marlborough in Bloom is this year themed around butterflies and St Mary’s pupils were visited recently by Maurice Avent, former chairman of the Butterfly Conservation charity, who explained the insect’s life cycle. Children from the two primary schools were then asked to create butterfly artworks in any medium for judging by local artist, Victoria Jinivizian.

Victoria said, “I was very impressed with the high standard of work. The range of interpretation was very creative and it was difficult to pick winners!”

The first place awards went to Year 1’s Eva Stansby for her painting in the Key Stage One category, and Year 4’s Parker Wilson for his butterfly made of atlas pages in Key Stage Two.

Other children who won runner-up places or commendations were Poppy Deane, Harvey Hepworth, Macy Manning-Rooney, Will Palmer, Tom Baker, Megan McGrath, Ruby Waters, Phoebe Smith, Jack Baker, Charlie O’Shaughnessy, Archie Guarneri, Spenser Whiting and Eleanor Holford-Wright.

Prizes donated by the White Horse Bookshop were presented by the chair of Marlborough in Bloom, Anne Crawley, who added, “We had so many outstanding entries we have had to give many more highly commended certificates than we expected!”

The children's paintings, collages, and embroidery – and even a Meccano butterfly - will be on show in High Street shop windows from Monday 10th July in time for the Britain in Bloom judging day on 13th July.

The Britain in Bloom competition is organised by the Royal Horticultural Society for communities across the country to rejuvenate their neighbourhoods with plants, flowers, conservation and recycling projects and the clearing up of rubbish and graffiti.