Making sure Bognor blooms

Members of the movement have created the latest displays for the flowerbeds in front of the town hall.

The winners of the competition helped to dig in the final plants around the war memorial.

The displays will be viewed by judges of this year's Britain in Bloom and South and South East in Bloom contests.

Thousands of residents and visitors will also see the imaginative patterns when they visit the town hall in Clarence Road.

About 60 entries were received by the town council for the three sections of the contest for Rainbows, Brownies and Guides. The council's In Bloom working party chose the winners.

Kirsten McIvor (12), of 1st Middleton-on-Sea Guides, was the winning Guide. She created a fish in keeping with the theme of the sea.

Yellow and green tanachetum and verbana, to provide purple and blue, surround the fish whose silver colour is shown by cineraria.

'I enjoyed designing the flowerbed,' said Kirsten. 'I liked doing the patterns and the colour of the fish. I will be coming down here in the summer to see my design.'

Other colours used in the displays include deep red, pink and purple.

Penny Thomas, the Guides' divisional commissioner for Bognor, said: 'Creating the flowerbeds is a chance for the children to do something for the community.

'They can bring their parents and grandparents to see what they have done during the summer.'

The book token prizes and certificates were handed to the winners by Bognor's deputy town mayor, Cllr Jenny Gillibrand.

She said: 'The children have done something to be proud of. These displays bring colour to the town hall and are nice for people to see as they walk past.

'They brighten up the building.'

The other winners were:

Rainbows: 1 '“ Kate Christopher (6), 1st Pagham and Aldwick Rainbows; 2 '“ Chloe Sullivan (5), 1st Pagham and Aldwick Rainbows.

Brownies: 1 '“ Spirites, aged 7-10, 3rd Felpham Brownies; 2 '“ Emma Peach (9), 1st Flansham Brownies.

Guides: 1 '“ Kirsten McIvor (12), 1st Middleton-on-Sea Guides; 2 '“ Charlotte McPherson (12), 1st Middleton-on-Sea Guides.