Kingsbridge In Bloom has won Gold, the Best Small Town and Best Website at the Britain in Bloom awards ceremony.

Fourteen members of the KIB team attended the Royal Horticultural Society Britain in Bloom awards ceremony at the Imperial Hotel, Torquay, on Thursday, October 5, to receive their awards from Lord and Lady Julian and Emma Kitchener-Fellowes - the main patrons.

This year is KIB’s tenth anniversary year and they brought home a Gold Award, the South West Travel Association Trophy for winning Best in Class for Small Towns and the Barry Cruse MBE Award for the Best Website.

Graham and the team were also “delighted to receive” two top awards in the RHS SWIB painting competition from both Loddiswell and Kingsbridge Primary School entries.

KIB chair Graham Price said: “This is our tenth anniversary year so its very special. The Gold Award really is because we have such a dedicated team. As we have gone on, the competition has got harder and greater. Thank you to all the team and to our sponsors.

“Our certificates and trophies are currently on display in the window at Kingsbridge Information Centre.”

Kingsbridge was the only town in the South Hams to win this year, with Graham saying it was a “massive promotion of pride and wellbeing within the town. We involve the whole community, young, old, able-bodies, those with special educational needs, everyone”.

As well as the main judging, 13 areas entered the Its Your Neighbourhood part of the competition, with local residents taking responsibility for their own areas of the town.

Of the 13 entrants, eight were given the highest “outstanding” level five grade, and four were given “thriving”, level four grades. One of the “outstanding” areas was Tresillian Early Years where the children do all the gardening.

The Gold Medal Status for the town is judged on three areas: community involvement, horticultural excellence and environmental responsibility. The judges visited Kingsbridge for two hours on Thursday, July 6.

Plans are already underway for new and exciting planting designs for next year’s competition.