Green-fingered gardeners and businesses have scooped top awards after entering Sidmouth in Bloom’s annual competition.

The in bloom group has announced the results for its spring and summer competitions in a range of categories.

Judges awarded nearly 60 gold awards this year as well as silver gilt and silver status to entries across the town.

Lynette Talbot, chairman of the in bloom group, said she hoped more people could be encouraged to take part in the competitions next year.

She said: "The standards of entries were very high this year, which is often expected when they enter a competition like this.

"We would like a lot more entries even if they are not so sure about their gardens, do enter, we want everyone to. It's a bit of fun and it's free."

Sidmouth in Bloom's annual awards will take place on Thursday, October 17, at Sidmouth Methodist Church, where the cup winners will be announced.

Current prize holders are asked to return their cups to Sidmouth Town Council or to 26 Coulsdon Road, EX10 9JP, as soon as possible for engraving.

The 2019 winners:

Large Gardens: Spring: H & I Crackston (Gold); G.Cronk (Gold); D & R Fuller (Gold); G. Gill (Gold); Summer: H & I Crackston (Gold); D&R Fuller (Gold); F Leach (Gold)

Medium Gardens: Spring: B Causton-Evans (Gold); A & I Skinner (Gold); Summer: L. Lever (Silver Gilt); M & F Sayer (Gold); A & I Skinner (Gold)

Small Gardens: Summer: D. Lee (Gold); J Cormick (Silver);D.Lee(Gold); J Mortimore (Gold),

R & L Badcock (Gold), S James (Silver), K J Simm (Gold)

Courtyard Gardens: G. Blyth (Gold); G.R Hadley (Gold); Mr G Harris (Gold); T Nex (Gold); J. Webb (Gold)

Biodiversity Gardens: B. Causton-Evans (Silver Gilt); D & R Fuller (Gold): J & J Twibell (Gold)

Temple Gardens (Silver Gilt)

Hanging Baskets/pots: S & M Jenkins (Gold); D. Lee (Gold); I McKenzie-Edwards (Gold)

Neighbourhood Effort : Temple Gardens (Gold), Ridgeway Residential Home(Gold)

Shops: The Steps Dress Agency (Gold), Hayman's Butchers (Gold), Fields (Gold), Potbury (Gold)

Retirement/Nursing Homes: Fourways Residential Home(Gold); Radway Lodge (Gold); Ridgeway Residential Home(Gold); Abbeyfield Court (Gold)

Café/ Pub/ Restaurant: The Anchor Inn (Gold); The Balfour Inn (Gold); Barrington Court Tea Rooms (Gold); The Swan Inn (Gold); The Volunteer (Gold)

Hotels/Guest Accommodation: The Belmont Hotel (Gold); Berwick House (Gold); Canterbury House (Silver Gilt); Cheriton Guest House (Gold); Dukes (Gold); The Elizabeth Hotel (Gold), Farmhouse Cottage (Gold), Glendevon B&B (Gold), Holmleigh Guest House (Gold); Hunter's Moon (Silver Gilt); Kingswood & Devoran (Silver Gilt); Lynstead House (Gold), Mt Pleasant Hotel (Silver Gilt); The Riviera (Gold); Royal Glen (Silver Gilt); Royal York & Faulkner (Gold); Southcombe Villa Guest House (Gold), The Old Farmhouse (Gold), Willow Bridge (Gold); The Victoria (Gold)

Churches: Methodist Church, (Gold), St Giles Church, Sidbury (Silver Gilt), St Peter's Church, Sidford (Silver Gilt)

Garden by a disabled person. T. T. Riding (Gold); Temple Gardens (Gold)