COUNCILLORS and community volunteers are celebrating top results after scoring a hat-trick at this year's North West in Bloom competition.

Representatives from the town council and community pride group were thrilled to discover the town had triumphed when the winners were announced at a presentation lunch held at Bolton's Reebok Stadium on Friday afternoon.

Middlewich was presented with three awards at this year's ceremony, claiming the trophy for best community effort and third prize in the category for towns with a population between 12,001 and 35,000.

And to add to the excitement Reg Hambley, the runner up of this year's Middlewich in Bloom competition, was awarded the top prize for the best front garden in the north west category.

Town councillor Alison Roylance White was thrilled with the town's victories, especially the best community effort award, and said it was testament to the efforts of volunteers and community groups.

She said: "I think everybody should be proud of the result. People have worked amazingly hard and there has been so much good work going on around the town. This is proof that Middlewich is the most vibrant and thriving town in the north west."

Town clerk Jonathan Williams said: "It's fantastic. We had a big cheer when they announced the results. Although we came third, it's a bit like the football Premiership - it shows consistency of quality."

He added: "The community effort award says so much about at the volunteer groups that doesn't happen in other places.

"It's a celebration for everyone involved in things like the festivals, the community dig and for groups such as the clean team.

"It just shows what a community can achieve when people work together."