GREEN-FINGERED residents who helped make their village blooming beautiful are celebrating after winning a top horticultural award.

Neasham, near Darlington, was awarded a gold medal in the small village category at this year’s Northumbria in Bloom competition.

The contest, which is now in its 50th year, saw more than 120 villages, towns, businesses and volunteer groups from across the North-East honoured at a ceremony at Gosforth Park earlier this week.

Adults and children helped plant flower beds, hanging baskets and vegetable patches in the village, while other residents donated money to buy plants, compost and other equipment.

Chairman of the parish council, John Weighell, said he was delighted with the result and thanked everyone for their hard work.

“I don’t think we could have made the village look better than it did," he said.

“I wish to thank the working party and all residents for their terrific efforts in making Neasham a truly beautiful village this year.

“Thanks are also due to the machine operatives from Street Scene who have done a top quality job for us again this year with grasscutting – they have really got into the spirit of it.

“We had many generous donations from villagers to buy plants, compost and other equipment for which we are grateful as we like to keep precept spending to a minimum."

He also thanked the village nursery who supplied plants at discounted prices.

Last year, the village entered the competition for the first time in five years and was awarded the silver gilt medal.