A TOWN council wants more people to enter its annual gardening competition.

A review of Barnard Castle Town Council's gardening competition has been carried out and a team of councillors have made it their priority to promote the competition.

The competition, which is judged in August, attracted 33 entries last year.

There are four categories and each category has a first prize of £50, a second prize of £30 and third prize of £20.

The council also wants more entries from businesses.

The competition is due to feature in the first edition of the council's newsletter, which is due to be published in June.

Councillor Pam Grunwell, who carried out the review of the competition, said: "The garden competition is a town council service that appears to have entirely positive outcomes, except perhaps for those entrants who do not win a prize.

"However, the judge engages all competitors in discussion about their gardens and their plants, irrespective of the quality of their displays, and this is evidently appreciated by the gardeners, many of whom are regular entrants."

The council is considering inviting sponsorship from local businesses for the trophies and cash prizes.

It also hopes to attract sponsorship for floral displays in the town centre.