An East Anglia 'In Bloom' judge spoke about the history and organisation of the 'In Bloom' competition in the UK.

Philip Peacock gave a talk at the October meeting of Inner Wheel club in Ely.

Mr Peacock, who is the chair of the judges in East Anglia, explained how the competition began in 1959 in France when Charles de Gaulle started a competition to encourage towns and villages to grow flowers.

The initiative aimed to uplift the nation in the post-war period.

A British horticultural journalist, impressed by the idea during a holiday in France, brought it back to the UK, leading to the first 'In Bloom' competition in 1964.

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Judging takes place in July, with marks awarded for horticulture, landscape, and community engagement.

Mr Peacock highlighted how this comprehensive judging approach benefits all towns and villages, ensuring fairness.

St Ives, this year's winners, progressed to the national competition and bagged a gold medal in the large town category.

The awards for this year's competition were distributed in September.