SIXTY children and their families gathered for the finals of the Junior Growing Competition for Schools.

Organised by Grosvenor Garden Centre in Chester, the event attracted youngsters from 10 schools across Cheshire and North Wales.

The Wrexham Road business had previously supplied the pupils with plants, compost and pots needed for successful growing.

And its staff had visited each oft he participating school to dispense tips and advice.

The six gazanias (large daisy-like flowers) chosen as the best from each school were judged in the final by Iain Wylie, the garden centre’s managing director, and centre mascot GrosvenorMan.

After much deliberation, Sammy-Jo Whitlow from Eccleston Primary School was judged to have grown the best gazania.

She was presented with a selection of prizes from the garden centre, together with £100 Grosvenor vouchers for her school.

Mr Wylie said: “Sammy-Jo is an extremely worthy winner after caring for her gazania perfectly and I was delighted to hear she has enjoyed every minute of it.

“Hopefully we have achieved our objective of showing the younger gardener the joys of growing and the sense of achievement created from such an interesting hobby.”

Runners-up Anna Thompson and Grace Roberts, from Christleton Primary School and Barker’s Lane Community School in Wrexham respectively, each won a trug full of gardening goodies together with £50 and £25 Grosvenor vouchers for their schools respectively.

Each finalist also received a packet of free seeds as a reward for their efforts.