ALTON has won silver in the 2005 South and South East England in Bloom competition. The Public Gardens have been awarded a bronze medal and the Mid-Hants Railway Preservation Society's Joan Richard is to receive a special award for outstanding achievement. A year's hard work of planting, pruning and green-fingered care has paid off once again for the town which picked up one of the top honours in the large town/small city category for populations under 35,000. Overall winner of the section was Christchurch with silver gilt. More than 80 entrants took part in this year's competition, sponsored by Southern Water. Marks were awarded according to a number of criteria, including how efficient the entrants were with water and other natural resources. Once again Alton came through with flying colours, being pulled up mainly on lack of community involvement, although special mention was made of the schools' sunflower competition, to be judged this month as part of the Alton in Bloom competition, the volunteer input at Kings Road, and the special needs plots at the Wooteys allotment site. There was praise, too, for the hanging baskets on the Mid Hants Railway platform at Alton station, with Joan Richardson being singled out for her outstanding contribution. Also catching the judging panel's eye were the hanging baskets and garden at the Allen Gallery, the gardens outside Alton Assembly Rooms, the roundabout on the A31 sponsored by the Grange Hotel, the specimen trees and replacement tree planting undertaken by Alton Town Council in the town, the TIC window display promoting the competition and the overall cleanliness of the town, which was described as "good". In expressing delight at the results, Alton Town Mayor Paddy Mendham said: "A great deal of work went into preparing Alton for this year's Southern area In Bloom competition and everyone involved should be proud that we gained a silver award. "The standard across the area had improved beyond all measure since 12 months ago and there is no doubt that this standard in 2004 would have gained us silver gilt. Indeed, this year's section winner gained only a few more points than Alton." He continued: "All we need to do over the coming year is to keep up our high standard and to shame the owners of the town's two large eyesore sites before next July. Number 10 Butts Road needs restoring to its full glory and the Motorway Tyres/gas works land cries out to be developed into a site for the erection of small dwellings in an attractive way - then we will have that entrance to the town drawing people into the centre." Mr Mendham paid particular tribute to deputy town clerk Greg Burt and to Alton Chamber of Commerce and Industry secretary David Gay as organisers of Alton's entry into the area In Bloom competition. Also to Norman Pointing as organiser of judging for the local competition, to Andrea and David Levene of The Grange Hotel, to Alton Town Council's grounds staff, and to Joan Richardson for her efforts at the Railway station.