BRITAIN in Bloom has confirmed a Worcestershire town as one of its 2011 finalists.

Only 77 villages, towns and cities out of the hundreds that enter regional In Bloom competitions have been selected to compete for the national awards in various categories this summer.

And Upton-upon-Severn is one of them. Stephanie Eynon, community horticulture manager for the Royal Horticultural Society, said: “We are delighted that Upton- upon-Severn has been chosen as one of the finalists.

“All the selected communities have put a lot of hard work into their entry and to get this far means they are already something special.”

Upton in Bloom chairman Jackie Surtees added: “We are very pleased to taking part in RHS Britain in Bloom.

“Being a finalist in such a prestigious event is an acknowledgement of the hard work put in by the dedicated volunteers and friends of Upton in Bloom, with support from local authorities.”

Upton has been entering Heart of England in Bloom since 2003. It has regularly received gold awards and been named category winner on several occasions. This will be its third entry into Britain in Bloom, after also taking part in 2007 and 2008.

The 2007 entry was severely affected by the summer floods, with volunteers having to replant the town’s displays only three days before judging. With a campaign on two fronts this summer, funds will be more important than ever for Upton in Bloom, and on Saturday the group hosted its latest successful fund-raiser, a table top sale.