PROUD gardeners of all ages collected awards at a Barrow awards ceremony.

The Barrow Borough Council Housing Services Annual Garden Competition prize winners were announced at a celebration at Barrow Town Hall.

This year was the 30th anniversary since the contest was re-introduced in 1987. The competition is for council tenants, lease holders and primary schools.

There was a record number of tenants entering the competition this year with 60 in total, as well as nine local primary schools.

The guests were welcomed by Colin Garnett, the assistant director of housing, who congratulated everyone on the high standard of entries.

Pauline Charnley, chairwoman of the Tenants' Forum presented the prizes to the schools.

The overall school winners were South Walney Infant and Nursery School. The Runners up were Chapel Street Infant and Nursery School, Dalton and third place went to St Paul's CE Junior School, Barrow. Special prize for the most improved garden was presented to Ormsgill Nursery and Primary School.

Merit prizes were awarded to Cambridge Primary School, Dane Ghyll Primary School, Greengate Junior School, Parkside GGI Academy and Yarlside Academy.

Mrs Charnley received a bouquet from the children as this was to be her last garden awards as she steps down from her chairwoman role in October.

Barrow mayor, Councillor Tony Callister presented the awards to the tenant winners.

There was special recognition for the late John Bell, of Dalton, who passed away earlier in the year. Mr Bell was a past winner of the vegetable garden competition and he took part in the contest for many years. His family received commemoration honour for his involvement over the years.

Nikita Kench, 10, of Cambridge Primary School, won the newsletter competition to design a 30th anniversary cake design for the event.

The Best First Time Award went to Brenda Craig, while the Best Estate Award was presented to Alan and Ann Marwood, the runner up was Tony and Mandy Anderson and Brian Hudson. The Best Garden By A Disabled Tenant went to Norman Wheeler, the Best Vegetable Garden was awarded to Susan Jacques and the Best Flower Garden was presented to Agnes Williams.

The sponsors of the competition were Procure Plus, The Tenants Forum, Hughes Brothers and Sure Group.


Area winners

Abbotsmead; winner - Keith Clark; runner up Ching Sian Jong.

Barrow Island; winner - Allan McIntosh; runner-up - Brenda Craig; merit award - Carol Scudamore.

Central; winner - Alan and Maureen Carter; runner up: Doreen Ballentine; merit awards; Velda and Graham Asbury, Christina Ayres, Agnes Bircher, Heather Dunkerley and David Lavender.

Dalton; winner - Valerie Atkinson; runner up - Norman Wheeler; merit awards; John Atkinson, Florence Burns, Harold Gathercole, Janice Laurie and Ron Stevens.

Greengate; Andrew and Laura Clark; runner up: Susan Jacques.

Griffin; Winner : Dennis Pye; runner up: Joyce McKenzie; merit awards; Sheila Braithwaite and Belinda Scrogham.

Hindpool; winner - William Meadows; runner up: Peter Roebuck.

Margate; winner - Eleanor Day; runner up; David Barham

Newbarns; winner - Sandra Jones; runner up: David Ballentine; merit awards: Leonard Atkinson, David Buzzacott, Donetta Rollinson, Annie Southward and Elizabeth Wilson.

North Walney - winner; Glen Turner; runner up - Alan and Ann Marwood; Pat Ferguson, Margaret Fisher, Helen Hotchkis, Josephine McGowan and Antony Storey.

Ormsgill - winner; Jo-Ann Crampton; runner up: Vanessa Quinn; merit awards; Peter Buchanan, Malcolm O’Shea

Risedale - winner; David Nelson; runner up; Peter Major; merit awards; Steward Landsburgh and Caroline McGuirk

Roosegate - winner; Stephen Sharkey; runner up; Ian and Cheryll Jordan

Tummerhill - winner; Agnes Williams; runner up; James Walmsley; merit award; Rodney Robinson

Vulcan - winner; Mary Kemp; runner up; John Robinson; merit award; Brian Hudson