Schools from across Ellesmere Port and Neston carried off awards in Cheshire West and Chester Council’s popular annual Schools in Bloom competition.

With a theme of Incredible Edibles, All Year Round Vegetable Garden, 15 schools in the borough signed up for the competition, growing a wide selection of fresh flowers, plants and vegetables in school gardens and vegetable plots.

Sponsored by Essar Oil (UK) Ltd and organised by the council’s environmental services team, the participating schools competed in a number of categories for prizes to help them invest in future gardening and environmental projects.

The competition was open to all schools, including pre schools, which were then invited to celebrate their commitment and hard work at a special awards ceremony held at Ness Botanic Gardens.

The school representatives were joined by councillors Eleanor Johnson and Lynn Riley, the borough’s executive member for Localities and Ian Cotton from Essar.

Cllr Johnson, who welcomed the pupils to the awards ceremony, said: “It was really wonderful to see so many of our schools involved with the competition this year, whose success is entirely due to their participation.

“We would again like to thank Essar Oil (UK) Ltd for their continuing support of the Schools in Bloom competition, which couldn’t go ahead without their sponsorship.”

Mr Cotton added: “I am delighted to see so many schools involved this year. Encouraging an interest in gardening at a young age has a huge number of health benefits.”

Locally, Childer Thornton Primary School was a gold award winner with silvers going to Neston High, Neston Primary and Parklands Community Primary in Little Sutton.

Childer Thornton received its award for its centenary garden, created to mark the school’s centenary as well as a gardening voucher and some gardening tools

At Neston High, the gardening club grow a variety of vegetables.

The club received a certificate and a voucher for £75.

Neston Primary has a successful gardening club having won gold last year for its Salvage Garden created using unwanted and unusual items.