A BED and breakfast and a centre for people with learning disabilities were among the winners of this year's Chepstow in Bloom competition.

Unique plant pots made by Chepstow potter and town mayor Ned Heywood were presented to the winners of the competitions for best front or side garden, best rear garden and best vegetable garden.

Runners-up were presented with certificates from Chepstow Town Council which organises the annual community gardening competition.

The Berkeley Centre in the town centre won the trophy for the best front or side garden, Jan Howells and Glyn Jones of Ty'r Castell, which overlooks Chepstow Castle won best back garden and Caroline Duchet of Bulwark won the best vegetable garden.

Tony O'Connor and Roy Bradley of Bulwark, Cheryl Wintle Thornwell and Pam and Terry Whittaker of The Danes were all highly commended.

The Berkeley Centre has its own gardening club and members look after the gardens. Dr Jones said the garden at Ty'r Castell is 27 feet long and 13.5 feet at its widest and had been developed over three years to provide a range of flowering plants and shrubs for insects.

He said: "The ability to smell and breathe the garden and all its facets is important to us and it provides a lovely backdrop while eating meals outdoors."

The certificates were presented by Cllr Yvonne Havard (Ind, St Kingsmark), the chair of the town council's town amenities committee.

She said: "This competition shows there are a lot of talented gardeners in Chepstow and we had some difficult decisions in judging it."