A TOWN that has won several awards for its floral displays has seen house prices rise by 258 per cent in ten years.

This gives Harrogate, in North Yorkshire, the third largest rise in the country among last year's Britain in Bloom gold medal winners.

The figures are revealed in research from the Halifax, which shows that house prices are blooming in towns that take a pride in landscaping and floral displays.

Figures show towns that have won gold medals in the competition have prices of up to 87 per cent above the national average.

Harrogate also won the Entente Florale competition last year, the European version of Britain in Bloom.

Last night, Councillor Pat Jones, Harrogate Borough Council's cabinet member for leisure and amenity services, said the huge price increases were not good for the town.

He said: "We are very lucky to live in Harrogate and to win all these floral competitions. It is a beautiful, beautiful place, but very hard to live in.

"I feel very sorry for people who have grown up in Harrogate and want to remain in Harrogate. They find it very hard to get on the housing ladder at all."

Tim Crawford, a group economist at Halifax Estate Agencies, said: "The British love affair with attractive towns is as strong as ever, so house buyers are clearly willing to pay a premium to live in picturesque surrounds.

"Civic pride and a commitment to maintaining an attractive townscape has clearly paid off for the Britain in Bloom winners. House prices in these towns are at a premium to those of their neighbours."