MORE than just one town is relying on award-winning gardener Mark Riddle and his team in this year's Britain in Bloom contest.

While producing Darlington Borough Council's floral designs for the competition, Mark and his team grow plants for another 16 local authorities around the country.

Based at the council's Woodburn Nursery in Salutation Road, the team of four gardeners grow and nurture almost 1.5m bedding plants a year.

But their loyalty remains with Darlington, and the team has been busy displaying more than 160,000 bedding plants and 1,000 hanging baskets around their home town.

Nursery manager Mark says the main emphasis of the council's entry this year is to encourage the community to get involved with the town's bid to be named Best Small City.

He said: "We want as much community involvement as possible, be it schools, pubs, shops and individuals. We want every one to make an effort."

The council wants nominations for the best school display, with the prize of a trophy and the help of Mark and his team to landscape an area of land.

There will also be prizes for the best decorated pub, residential property, shop or business front, and best voluntary project.

National judges are due in the town on August 17.