Sidmouth schoolgirl nets South West painting prize

LITTLE Flora Hadfield has bagged a bloomin’ big achievement after winning a top painting prize.

Schoolgirl Flora, five, brushed off competition from around the region to land a South West in Bloom award.

She 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’.

Sidmouth Primary School pupil Flora entered her painting into the contest while at All Saints Infants last term.

Proud mum and dad Sara and Brian received a surprise phone call from jubilant Sidmouth in Bloom committee members in Newquay last Thursday night.

“I’m really happy,” said Flora, whose award-winning piece of work is now on display for the whole town to see in Fields’ Market Place window.

Sidmouth in Bloom president Joy Seward hailed Flora’s achievement as “absolutely incredible”.

She said: “I was really thrilled we were able to pick the award up for Flora. It’s most important to get children interested in growing vegetables and, I must say, most schools in Sidmouth do incredibly well and work with us.”