Things are looking rosier...

BLOOM and Grow . . . the team with their awards at Gallery Oldham

OLDHAM is still celebrating the sweet smell of success after being crowned Best City at Britain in Bloom 2012.

The borough’s debut entry into the Royal Horticultural Society’s national competition saw it scoop the gong last weekend.

Oldham was classed as a city in the competition — and went up against much bigger cities.

Oldham Council also won the Pride of Place award for community involvement thanks to its Love Where You Live campaign.

Yesterday, the Bloom and Grow team showed off their awards and got to read the judges’ comments for the first time.

One of the comments said Oldham is probably “one of the cleanest places in Britain.”

Another said: “Footpaths and roadways were spotless; judges only managed to spot one weed on the whole tour.

“To keep a town clean and pristine is an achievement in itself, to then make it attractive to the visitor with appropriate planting, colourful baskets and planters shows how the much the community cares and is cared for,” they said.

Councillor Jean Stretton said: “Winning these awards has really put us on the map nationally. These comments are just fantastic to read.”