Sidmouth has received golden recognition for the quality of its flowerbeds and horticultural excellence.

The town has been given a gold award in this year's Royal Horticultural Society South West in Bloom competition.

Sidmouth was awarded gold and won the Sargent Cup, beating Tavistock, Royal Wootton Bassett, Melksham, Keynsham, Brixham and Babbacombe in Bloom.

South West in Bloom judges Ian Murphy and Tony Moore took a tour of the town in July.

For the first time Sidmouth Victoria Hospital's therapeutic garden was included in the tour.

A number of community groups and spaces were also viewed as part of the RHS's Its Your Neighbourhood (IYN) scheme.

The It's Your Neighbourhood Awards for 2019 are as follows:

n Margaret's Meadow and Livuonia Road Shrubbery - level four - thriving.

n The Sensory Garden - level five - outstanding.

n The Chairman's Garden - level five - outstanding.

n The Sidmouth Arboretum - level five - outstanding.

n The Friends of the Byes - level five - outstanding.

n Witheby Entrance Garden - level five - outstanding.

n The Sidbashers - level five - outstanding.

n The Sidcomers - level five - outstanding.

Lynette Talbot, chairman of Sidmouth in Bloom, said: "We were up against a large group of other towns and of course I want to thank everyone in the town that was there for the judges' tour.

"This included representatives from Sidmouth Victoria Hospital Comfort Fund who showed the judges the therapeutic garden, the chairman's garden, the Friends of The Byes. Sidbashers, EDDC's Streetscene and the Belmont Hotel for sponsoring the judges' presentation.

"I'd like to give a special thanks to Dr John Twibell from Plant Heritage too.

"We had a lovely day and everything went extremely well considering the roadworks in the town the week before.

"I thought we might get a gold but I did not expect to win the cup because of the number of entries.

"We are really thrilled to get the cup and we are just hoping we will be nominated for next year's nationals - Britain in Bloom - which will then put us through to the large coastal town category."