BUSINESS leaders are calling on residents and companies to back a bid to have Halstead crowned the best high street in the country.

Gilly Ryan, chairman of Halstead Town Team, believes the town could win the Great British High Street competition.

She said: “We have a fantastic town. We are beautiful and we have got a lot of interesting shops.

“Everybody is working so hard for their businesses. If you walk up and down the High Street there are so many fantastic people.

The competition has seven categories, including best market town, and an overall winner.

The application must be endorsed by a major retailer or politician and must show signs of innovation and include details of problems which have been overcome.

Judges also want to see public support in the form of social media activity through tweets and by uploading pictures or videos using the hashtag #GBHighSt.

The deadline for entries is September 1.