GARDENING experts from Darlington Borough Council have vowed to gain floral success next year, after walking away empty-handed from the Britain in Bloom awards.

The town held high hopes of picking up the first prize in the Best Small City category at the award ceremony, in Dumfries, after finishing runner up last year, but despite months of hard work by gardeners at the council, it failed to win an award.

Darlington Mayor, Isobel Hartley, said: "We are obviously disappointed not to come away with an award, but we were up against some stiff competition.

"Despite the fact we didn't win, we have done ourselves proud and it's an honour just to be at the ceremony.

"We'll hopefully be back next year and we will be aiming, as always, to walk away with the first prize."

Darlington lost out to entries from Bath, which picked up the award for best small city, and Newcastle Under Lyme, which came second in the category.

Aycliffe Village and Sedgefield, in County Durham, Northallerton, in North Yorkshire, and Saltburn, in Teesside, all walked away without a prize.

However, Newcastle picked up the Tidy Britain Group Award.