HALSTEAD’S amazing In Bloom volunteers will be going for gold again today when the results of a national horticultural competition are announced.

The winners of this year’s Britain in Bloom awards are set to be revealed at a special ceremony in London later this evening.

The Halstead in Bloom team have been entered into the competition following their continued success in the Anglia in Bloom town category, which they won for the 11th year in a row in September.

Judges for the national competition toured the town in the summer to see the stunning displays put together by the band of volunteers.

The displays included a First World War fighter plane and show-stopping space rocket celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, which was surrounded by vibrant red and yellow flowers.

Many of the volunteers will come together for a results party this evening as they await the final verdict on their year of hard work.

Halstead in Bloom secretary Julia Smith said: “Five of us are going to Linley Hall in London to hear the results. Our category won’t be announced until after 9pm so it will be a very nervous wait until then.

“We will meet with our judges, Kim Parish and Mel Henley, at a judges’ surgery at the Plaza Hotel on the following day to discuss the marks and what we can do to improve.”

Halstead in Bloom has won the top gong at national level three times before.

Competition rules, which state a group cannot enter in successive years, meant the team were unable to defend their previous title which they jointly won in 2017.

As well as winning this year’s Anglia in Bloom medium-sized town category, the In Bloom volunteers helped Halstead Public Gardens claim gold in the park category.

Priory Hall also scooped a top gong in the care home section, while Halstead Cemetery, in Colchester Road, won a silver gilt award.

Long-serving volunteer Joan Gibson won an individual award for her design and colour scheme for planting.