A RESTAURANT prized for its floral displays had its blooms sabotaged hours before the judging of an annual competition.

Ministers, where former Prime Minister Tony Blair has dined many times, was commended in last year's Northumbria in Bloom competition and won first prize in its town council competition.

But yesterday when judges from Northumbria in Bloom visited Sedgefield village, County Durham, they found the pub's tubs had been attacked.

"We only noticed the damage on Wednesday but my gardener thinks it's weed killer which must have been put down a day or two previously," said manager Dave Owens.

"I was really angry. We try to make an effort to make the business and the village look good, and this is what we get."

Mr Owens said the flowers were paid for by the business, but gave the credit for the competition success to resident Ian Spring.

"Ian is retired and he really enjoys doing the plants for us. He does a great job and we are really grateful, but we feel awful about what has happened" he said.

Ministers, in Church View, Sedgefield, features pictures of Tony Blair among other former Prime Ministers.

Mr Owens has no idea why the damage was caused, saying the vandalism could be unprovoked, linked with the competition or even linked with the former Prime Minister.

"Mr Blair has visited here, just like he has visited a few other pubs in Sedgefield," he said.

"It was great to have a Prime Minister in, but he was only made as welcome as any other customer.

"But we have took the odd funny phone call, particularly after the business was on TV, so I couldn't say whether or not this was just about the competition."

Last year, the pub was commended in the commercial premises category of Northumbria in Bloom and won best commercial premises in a conservation area in Sedgefield Civic Trust's competition.

Councillor Maxine Robinson, secretary of the Sedgefield in Bloom committee and a former Northumbria in Bloom judge, said: "We were in Ministers on Tuesday and I commented on how good it looked. I think they were in with a real chance this year.

"Our external judge for the civic competition will be visiting in early August, so, hopefully, this hasn't put them off too much and they'll replant before then."