WORKERS at a Bromsgrove garden centre have potted a top prize in a national competition to find the greatest gardening team of staff.

Fresh at Burcot Garden Centre was awarded a bronze medal in The Greatest Garden Centre Team of the Year's small centre category by a panel of expert judges.

Head of the judging panel Trevor Pfeiffer complimented staff on their customer service, saying: "We assess garden centres on a wide criteria of important business aspects but at the end of the day it is down to how well the team do at creating the customer experience that consumers look for today in their shopping trips.

"The team at Fresh at Burcot may be small in number but are proof that big is not always beautiful.”

The Alcester Road store was beaten to the top spot by Poppies on the west coast of Scotland and Green Pastures in Norwich.

Neil Gow, who owns the business with his wife Nicci, said: "This award shows the dedication of our small but excellent team of people who are committed to working together to provide the best possible advice and experience for our customers.

"Being pipped to the top award by a garden centre like Poppies, near Oban, which I know and admire as a business, is quite an honour."