CELEBRITY duo Christine and Neil Hamilton had their well-oiled double act off pat for their appearance on the opening day of this year's Southport Flower Show.

The former Tory MP and his wife were guests of honour among hundreds of blooming displays at Victoria Park yesterday.

Dressed head to toe in bright red and pink, Christine, 54, officially opened the show.

She revealed: "Actually I'm not really a great gardener, every time I go out with a pair of pruning scissors Neil rushes after me because he says I don't know the difference between a flower and a weed."

Organisers estimated more than 30,000 people attended the first day of the show - despite blustery winds and early afternoon showers.

This year's theme is literature, inspiring a variety of imaginative exhibits based on the nation's favourite books - from the Wizard of Oz to Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit. The ultimate prize, the Brockhouse Trophy, went to first time entrants Dobbies Garden World, which opened a £5.5m showroom in Preston 18 months ago.

The company's huge "library" garden included four sections: horror, food and drink, travel, and romance.

St Helens-based World of Glass also took a gold for its magical children's paradise. It featured hand-blown glass flamingoes and a huge glass rainbow.

A re-creation of an 18th century maze made entirely out of turf secured a bronze medal for Turfland of Southport.. part

Show patron Roddy Llewellyn praised garden designers for their attention to detail. He said: "I believe Southport is the best flower show in England."

Llewellyn is taking turns with fellow patron David Bellamy, and radio four regulars Roy Lancaster and Stefan Buczacki to host a celebrity gardener's question time each afternoon.