COLOURFUL flower arrangements have scooped five awards at this year's Northumbria in Bloom Awards.

Stockton is celebrating after winning the main prize, for best town, for the second year in a row.

As well as beating off competition from the likes of Gateshead and South Shields to take the best town/city in the Whitbread Trophy, Stockton also took another four awards. It was also presented with the award of merit in the Evening Chronicle Trophy, as well as the Whitworth Hall Trophy for Billingham as the most improved entry.

The judges also gave an award to Stockton Fire Station for the best fire service grounds and Hartburn Primary School received an award of merit in the Rod Leyburn Memorial Trophy for best school horticultural grounds.

Stockton Borough Council has planted 140,000 plants this year, including begonias, nine varieties of marigolds, nine varieties of geranium as well other favourite plants.

The judges made particular reference to the quality of bedding plants and the quality of hard landscaping, as well as the floral focal points along Church Road and Stockton High Street, The Causeway and Station Road in Billingham and Mitchell Avenue in Thornaby.