EVERYTHING is coming up roses in the town after Droitwich gardens were declared some of the best in a Worcestershire gardening competition despite being subject to torrential downpours and flooding.

The gardening contest, run by Festival Housing, included 50 properties and was judged by two former competition winners. The contest is run annually and judges many categories including best tubs and hanging baskets, best garden design and best new garden. Droitwich residents have excelled in these areas.

Guy Weston, chief executive of Festival Housing, said: "Once again this competition has been a great success with outstanding entries. The judges battled through torrential rains on Flooded Friday' to make sure they met with and judged as many competition entries as they could. This has been a fantastic way of bringing the community together and I would like to thank all the residents for the hard work that has been put in."

Competition winners were invited to an awards ceremony at St Peter's Garden Centre and presented with their prizes of gardening vouchers and a framed certificate by executive director Clare Huyton. The winner of best large garden was Ivy Shough, of Westlands, whose garden won particular acknowledgment from the judges.