VILLAGERS are putting the finishing touches to floral displays in their bid to make it three wins in a row in the Northumbria in Bloom competition.

Aycliffe Village has won the best large village category for the past two years, but hopes of a treble were hit this year when Great Aycliffe Town Council decided to cut the level of its financial support.

Undeterred, the Aycliffe Village action committee vowed to carry on entering the competition and members have made another determined effort.

Now the rallying call has gone out to all residents to help the village look its best when judging takes place next Thursday.

Committee member Bill Blenkinsopp said: "The action committee have filled every tub and basket and the village itself looks very nice. There are about 12 or 13 people on the committee and they're the ones who have put the effort in and worked really hard."

Mr Blenkinsopp said the cut in funding had certainly hit the village's chances of winning this year, but hopes remained high.