A POISONER who tried to wreck a North-East resort's Britain in Bloom entry has failed.

People in Saltburn, east Cleveland, were devastated when a mystery saboteur slipped chemicals into a bowser used to water hanging baskets and tubs.

Hundreds of people helped replace the plants in time for the Britain in Bloom judges' visit in the summer.

Their efforts paid off last night when Saltburn gained a bronze award in the small coastal town category at the Britain in Bloom finals.

One of the Saltburn in Bloom organisers, Carole Miller, said: "We are thrilled. Everyone worked so hard, so this is wonderful for the town.

"We had such a big setback in the summer, which was very stressful, and everyone worked hard to put it right, so to be able to enter the competition at all was good."

Harrogate, in North Yorkshire, won the large town category, gaining a gold award, and nearby Darley won the large village class with gold.

Representatives from 61 towns, cities and villages across the UK attended the awards ceremony at the London Guildhall last night, organised by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Among other prize winners were Alnwick, in Northumberland, with a bronze award in the small town category; Aycliffe Village, County Durham, which gained a bronze in the large village section; Durham City with a silver award in the large town category; Newcastle, which landed a silver gilt award in the large city group; Ripon, in North Yorkshire, with a silver gilt award; and Whitburn, Tyne and Wear, with a silver in the urban community category.

Television gardener Monty Don, a guest at the awards, said: "Britain in Bloom is as much about people as it is plants and the entire community blooms and thrives as a result of the enormous efforts, nearly always under-resourced and which involve heroic ingenuity and labours, that are made."

A Britain in Bloom Gardeners' World focussing on the final will be screened on BBC2 at 8pm on Sunday.