GARDENERS in Sedgefield are celebrating after the town struck gold in the annual Northumbria in Bloom awards.

The bloom team won a gold medal in the new Champion of Champions category while silvers were awarded to Sedgefield Racecourse, the Manor House 1707 and Hardwick Hall gardens.

Hardwick Park volunteers and Claremont Grove residents’ gardens won gold.

And Ron and Brenda Wright, of Station Road, secured not only a gold medal but also the overall award for the best private garden.

Sedgefield in Bloom chairman Howard Smith said: “Sedgefield is a great place and we enjoy making it look even more lovely year on year. The support, encouragement and sponsorship of local people, organisations and businesses is very important to us.”

Judges Eileen Burn, Val Giles and Ron McParlin spent four hours in Sedgefield on their July judging day.