SKIPTON Building Society’s Altrincham branch has teamed up with Altrincham In Bloom to urge residents to prove they have 'green fingers'.

The ‘Gorgeous Garden Awards’ launched today aims to encourage everyone in the WA14 and WA15 postcode areas to spruce up their front gardens for all to enjoy - and offers one lucky gardener a £250 prize in National Garden Gift vouchers.

Entries are being accepted until September 9 via an entry form to be collected from and returned to Skipton Building Society’s Altrincham Branch on Stamford New Road. Residents can either nominate their own front garden for consideration or a friend’s so long as they have the garden owner’s permission.

All entries will be secretly assessed by Altrincham In Bloom volunteers throughout August and September.

Successful entrants will receive a ‘Gorgeous Garden’ certificate to display in their window or front garden and will also be entered into a Grand Draw to win a £250 voucher prize.

Sue Keating-Millington, branch manager of the building society branch, said:“We can all do something to beautify our neighbourhoods.

“The work that Altrincham In Bloom is doing in the town is fantastic as it visibly lifts people’s spirits on a daily basis and makes Altrincham a nice place to frequent.

"We are hoping that the ‘Gorgeous Garden Awards’ will encourage residents to get involved too.”

Sarah Walmsley, Project Coordinator of Altrincham In Bloom, added: “As UK finalists, we are naturally big supporters of RHS Britain In Bloom’s ‘Greening Grey Britain’ campaign. When you plant up a front garden visible from the street it adds enormously to the way passers-by feel about their local environment.

"We are psychologically programmed to react positively. Flowers are not just pretty either. They support important pollinators like bees on whom we rely for food crops so making an effort in front of our houses and commercial buildings is well worthwhile.”

The ‘Gorgeous Garden Awards’ grand draw winner will be selected at random on September 30.