POTTERING around their gardens, pruning plants and tending to hanging baskets has paid off for a bunch of green-fingered Pewsey residents.

The village bowls club were among the winners to pick up a trophy, awarded by Pewsey Parish Council, as part of the village’s annual best kept garden competition.

Two judges visited the entrants earlier this year and councillor Curly Haskell said it was like Strictly Come Dancing without the sequins as he handed out the awards last Tuesday to the seven winners.

Ros Carmichael-Owen won best allotment and scooped the John Cook cup, named after the veteran councillor who died in 2012 aged 75 and had served Pewsey for more than 40 years as a member of Wiltshire Council.

Second place in the allotment category was won by Colin Thomlinson and third by Robert De Berry.

In the garden section, first place was awarded to Andy and Zoe Miles, of Kings Corner, second place went to Vivien Ash and third to Ian Yeates.

The commercial display category was won by the Pewsey Vale Bowls Club. Retired military officer Keith Dan, 79, has spent months doing most of the work, transforming the grounds and tending the 38 colourful hanging baskets which he bought in February.

Mr Dan, of Raffin Lane, is also one of the longest serving bowls club members along with the club’s president Don Andrews, 79, of Cherry Close, and they both attended the presentation to pick up the award.

He said: “We are very pleased and did not expect it. It is the first year I have entered the competition properly.”

Mr Andrews added: “It’s nice to see all the hard work put in has paid off.”