GREEN-FINGERED Maldon residents are blooming with pride after retaining their Anglia in Bloom gold award.

At a ceremony in Norfolk on Tuesday, it was announced that Maldon had retained its gold standard award for the second year running.

Last year the town was awarded its first gold since 2006 after eight years of collecting silver gilt awards.

Volunteers were keen to make sure standards didn’t slip in 2016.

Ten months of planning went into getting Maldon ready for the judging visit with Maldon Town Council’s Jennifer Eva even preparing a port- folio of Maldon’s gardening achievements and the community effort.

The judges praised the appearance of Promenade Park, the riverside and High Street.

Dorreen Linton, Maldon in Bloom chairman, said: “This year it has been really good. We have had quite a little community working around the town.”

Mrs Linton said lots of hard work had been put into making the town “look the best it possibly can”.

She said: “We have had more people come on board to help us try and achieve this award. The judges were very complimentary, saying there were some highlights on their tour.

“Every year they give us the results and all of the areas we have achieved and any areas that need work.

“I think we have managed to improve on our achievements and the ones we needed to work on.”

Back in July, the judges were shown around the town taking in special displays at pubs on Hythe Quay, a boat of flowers filled by Plume School pupils and the High Street hanging baskets.

The judges also got to enjoy the East London Cabbies Outing, which sees London taxis take children with learning difficulties from London to Maldon.

Mrs Linton said Maldon in Bloom would meet later this month to turn attention to next year’s competition.

Plume School also received recognition for its vegetable garden in the Best Young Persons’ Project 12 to 18 years, but missed out on the overall prize.