Cricklade has proved itself to be a blooming success once again after being awarded the gold award for the best small town in the Royal Horticultural Society’s South West In Bloom competition.

Organisers brought home yet more silverware for the town council’s already overflowing cabinet on Thursday following a prestigious awards ceremony at the Assembly Rooms, in Bath.

For the fourth year in a row, and fighting off strong competition, the town topped the list and won the Ayre Cup.

Another important part of the competition,the It’s Your Neighbourhood Awards, recognises local groups for community-led gardening where residents clean and green up their patch.

Outstanding awards in this category went to Abingdon Court Farm and the Bank Garden.

A number of other groups in the town also received a mention, including the fire station, Fiddlers Allotment Association, the Jenner Hall, Leisure Centre Gardeners, Parsonage Farm Close Residents Association, Police Garden Allotment and Thames Pre-School.

A special community champion award was given to Anita Barratt, the chairman of Cricklade Bloomers.

She said: “All the fantastic effort by so many people in Cricklade has again been recognised in winning this well deserved award. I would like to thank our sponsors and everyone who makes donations, supports us and helps to bring it all together.”

Town council chairman David Tetlow said: “Cricklade just keeps on excelling and it’s all down to the enormous efforts our local community put in, most especially Cricklade Bloomers.

“It’s so good to see that the RHS awarded Anita Barratt with special recognition as a community champion.

“The town council is absolutely delighted with these awards.”

Cricklade is now looking forward to hearing the results of its entry into the Britain In Bloom national finals on September 29 – the town is the only one in Wiltshire to be competing and hopes to regain its title as Best Small Town In Britain 2010.