6:09pm Saturday 4th September 2010
By Edmund Tobin
A TOWN'S allotments have come under the microscope with the cream of the crop selected for prizes.
Lougton Town Council's annual award for best allotment received 24 nominations this year with each site visited by its judging panel, mayor David Wixley, and councillors Chris and Caroline Pond.
This year, they were joined by local gardening expert and BBC Radio Essex show host Ken Crowther, who undertook the final judging and selected the winner as Neil Jackson for his plot in Willingale Road.
At a ceremony held in the town council's offices in Rectory Lane, Mr Jackson was awarded an engraved shield, framed certificate and £25 in gardening vouchers for his efforts.
Mr Wixley, who presided over the ceremony, thanked all this year's entrants and praised the high standard of their gardens especially given the hot and arid weather in July this year.
Runners-up in the competition, who all received a framed certificate, were Lesley Church (Roding Road Allotment and Leisure Gardens Association) and Rose Partridge (Loughton Potato Ground).
Paul Plumridge (Willingale Road) and Tom McAuliffe and Jackie Mansfield (Loughton Potato Ground) were commended.
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