STROUD has scooped the second highest award – a silver gilt – in the town category of the Heart of England in Bloom awards for the second year running.

Meanwhile Tetbury won a gold award in the small town category and was also the overall winner for the Heart of England section.

The achievements were announced at an awards ceremony in Newcastle-under-Lyme on Thursday and the silver-gilt award means Stroud could be a potential gold award winner in the future.

Judges Roger Bache and Mark Wiltshire were especially impressed with the town council's campaign to make Stroud a plastic bag free town and the ongoing campaign to become the world's first bee guardian town.

They were also impressed with Stroud's Festival of Nature and the excellent Stroud Valleys Project.

Hanging baskets made by pupils at Parliament Street Primary School for Stroud Register Office, and containers made by Uplands, Gastrells, and Foxmoor Primary Schools for the town's charity shops also received recognition.

Welcome posters in shop window displays and street banners were also a welcome sight for the judges.

Malcolm Tarling, chairman of the Stroud in Bloom committee, said: "The silver-gilt award shows that Stroud did very well in quite a few categories.

"We were just a few marks short of the gold award.

"I am hoping that if we make a real effort next year we could possibly reach it."

More than £1,600 has so far been donated to the SNJ's Save our Stroud in Bloom appeal, which was launched after committee members revealed that without extra help and fundraising next year's event would have to be cancelled.

The group usually spends around £3,000 to bring Stroud's flower displays to life.

To make a donation, no matter how small, send a cheque made payable to Stroud in Bloom to 92 Boverton Drive, Brockworth, GL3 4BS or to Stroud Town Council offices in London Road, Stroud.

* Congratulate the SIB team here...