A COLOURFUL nod to Chester-le-Street's mining heritage has netted council gardeners a silver medal in a national contest

Using a mining wheel and a coal tub, Chester-le-Street District Council's horticultural team created a flower display for the Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) National Flower Bed Competition.

The contest was held at Tatton Park, Cheshire, last week, and attracted 24 entries from across Britain.

Chester-le-Street's display involved eight different shades of marigolds to create a setting sun.

Compost used on the display came from locally recycled green waste.

The names of 22 local pits were transferred on to the mining wheel.

Environmental works supervisor Graham Cozens said: "Last year, we could not even get a bronze, but this year we were determined to prove that we could do it.

"Having had very little resources, my team of apprentices had to be very creative."

He added: "Our entry was part of an apprentice gardening training programme, so I guess it is a double bonus."

Council leader Councillor Malcolm Pratt said: "Another sterling achievement by our team, supporting, yet again, why the council has had a high satisfaction rating of 78 per cent from the community it serves."

The winning flower bed display is currently on show outside the civic centre in Chester-le-Street until the end of September.