SCHOOLCHILDREN were this week thanked for their efforts in making Sidmouth look bloomin’ beautiful.

Sidmouth in Bloom president, Joy Seward, said green-fingered youngsters played a huge part in the town’s best-ever South West in Bloom success.

Joy visited Sidmouth C of E Primary School this week to hand out gold awards.

Five schools landed Sidmouth in Bloom prizes, with Sidbury Primary scoring the shield and St John’s the silver gilt.

“Children from every school have worked incredibly hard,” Joy told the Herald.

“It’s been such a pleasure to me, over so many years, to see children doing projects in Connaught Gardens – I’ve enjoyed every minute helping them.

“It so important all the schools are doing their best to grow not only flowers, but things to eat. It’s important in the current climate to instil this in children when they are young.”

Primary school pupils were handed goodies, including packets of seeds, from Sidmouth Garden Centre

Pupil Flora Hadfield, five, was awarded an accolade after she brushed off competition from around the region to land a South West in Bloom painting award.

Flora won top prize in the under six category of a children’s art contest which had a ‘grow it, dig it, cook it, eat it’ theme’.

She entered her painting into the contest while at All Saints Infants last term.