Blooming success for charity

A host of golden daffodils have helped an East Durham charity scoop top prize in a gardening competition.

Haswell and District Mencap has been named as the winner of District of Easington Council’s Spring into Action bulb planting challenge.

The contest, organised through the council’s Pride in Easington campaign, saw schools, community groups, residents’ associations and other organisations challenged to plant as many spring bulbs as possible in a chosen community space.

Volunteers at Haswell and District Mencap secured first place by planting more than 900 bulbs at their Church View base. Their contribution was the largest effort by a single community group in the district.

Clare Hubbard, Pride in Easington Officer, said: “We would like to thank everyone who took part in the competition, their efforts have helped brighten the district with some much needed spring colour.”

The initiative was supported by District of Easington Youth Forum, which donated 30,000 daffodil and tulip bulbs, and Horn’s Garden Centre, Shotton Colliery, which provided a £50 voucher as a prize.