GREEN-FINGERED enthusiasts have been honoured for their efforts in making their village look blooming lovely.

Middleton St George, near Darlington, swept the board in this year’s Northumbria in Bloom competition, winning the award for best commercial premises and the best private garden, as well as a gold award in the small town category.

Middleton Hall Retirement Village also won a gold award, as did Sadberge Road allotments and Bellevue allotments.

Alan Porter, who owns Twelve Central Hairdressing, Beauty and Caci Salon, which was named the best commercial premises, said the award came as a surprise as he had not entered the business into the competition himself.

“I am pleased the business is regarded as one of the best commercial premises in the north from the Scottish Borders,” he said.

“Attention to detail is one of the things we try to excel at, and we have to keep the business looking fabulous.

“We try to do every element of the business to absolute perfection – we even serve the best coffee.”

Special thanks were also given to Valerie Porter, who led a team of volunteers and grew hundreds of bedding plants in her greenhouse.

Middleton St George ward councillor, Doris Jones, thanked everyone who helped the village win the awards and said: “We have done really well in all categories, especially as we had to enter as a small town rather than village because of our population size.

“We are competing with the likes of Sedgefield and others right across the north.”