BLOOM members in Upton Upon Severn say they will continue to keep planting despite their competition finals being cancelled due to coronavirus.

Upton in Bloom has been planting around the town for several years, regularly receiving accolades in the Heart of England in Bloom finals.

This year’s Bloom finals have been postponed, but Upton in Bloom chair Jackie Surtees said the group will still make the town look stunning.

She said: “We enter the Heart of England in Bloom regional campaign annually. They nominate some of their entries to enter the following year’s national finals.

“Members of Upton in Bloom are following the Government guidelines and practising social distancing and self isolation.

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"With this in mind we are not meeting for our regular working parties.

“We are planning to plant the summer displays and beds inside and outside the Old Churchyard (the ‘Pepperpot’) on the Saturday before the VE Day 75 anniversary Bank Holiday. The rest of the boats, barrels, troughs and hanging baskets will be planted later in May.

“Hopefully by this time life may have returned to some semblance of normal, but without most of our festivals, so that residents and visitors can enjoy our floral displays.”

A spokesman for Heart of England in Bloom said: “Following the RHS announcement that the national finals of Britain in Bloom have been suspended for 2020, we feel it is only right and responsible that we should follow this example.

"Therefore, regrettably, the heart of England in Bloom campaign has been suspended for 2020 and no judging or assessing will take place in any of the categories.

“Our aim now is to look ahead to 2021 and try to ensure that we can all bounce back from this setback, and keep the Bloom flag flying for our region next summer.