TWO girls from Lickey End came joint first place in a sunflower growing competition held at Little Heath Garden Centre.

Penny Booton, aged three, and Olivia Thomas 15-months won the contest after planting their sunflower seeds with help from Peppa Pig on Sunday, May 11.

The children then had to take care of their sunflower seeds by remembering to feed and water them regularly and as they got taller they supported them with a cane.

They were awarded with a child's trowel and spade, bird box, packet of seeds and a wildlife book from the garden centre.

Neil Laugher, Little Heath Garden Centre manager, said: “I am delighted that so many green-fingered children entered the competition. It’s a really great activity to help youngsters develop a love of gardening.”

The competition, which was inundated with entries, closed on Sunday, August 31.

As judges couldn’t decent between the two sunflowers both girls were crowned the winners of the competition.

They were impressed that penny had grown more than one sunflower and they thought it was wonderful that Olivia was being encouraged to get into gardening at such a young age.