TROPHIES won in this year's Southern England in Bloom competition are now proudly on show in Test Valley Borough Council's Andover HQ.

The town, after many years of hard work and effort, finally wrested the title of Best Town away from Salisbury and Winchester, winning fulsome praise from a judge who remarked how improved the town's landscape had become.

Team leader David Meagher said the intention was to build on that success and retain the trophy.

He would like to see the contest concentrate on 'Flourishing Communities' rather than the present 'in bloom' emphasis because Test Valley was intent on improving the environs for its citizens through a wide-ranging programme of improvements.

Countryside officers Jim Atkins and Kevin Harrington are also members of the team and will be heavily involved in next year's projects which include the transformation of the recently acquired Rooksbury Mill into a public open space, and giving a 'facelift' to such areas as Anton Lakes and Vigo Road recreation ground.