CHILDREN and community leaders have celebrated the launch of the 21st Valley Park in Bloom.

Marked by students from St Francis and Knightwood primary schools, flower baskets, boxes and keen gardeners have helped to kick off this year's contest.

Valley Park Parish Council have provided the tub displays and flower baskets to enhance the area, with the launch taking place on Tuesday morning.

Over the years, Valley Park has won numerous environmental awards, and has been a gold certificate winner on multiple occasions in the Test Valley in Bloom competition.

This year, as reported, the Test Valley in Bloom Group said they could not go ahead with the usual competitions, due to financial and staffing restraints.

Despite that, Valley Park Parish Council chairman Alan Dowden remained delighted at the effort of the council in brightening up the area.

He said: "To celebrate this special year, I have asked the head teachers of St Francis and Knightwood primary schools, along with children from each school, to launch our display.

"My aim, from the start, was to foster respect for the environment in young people by involving them in planting bulbs in the autumn.

"We have planted 22,000 bulbs in Valley Park over the years. They are also invited to attend the launch of the summer flowering displays. This year, I want to thank them, and acknowledge their long-term input into making Valley Park such an attractive place to live for us all.

"I also wish to express my appreciation to the business community for their financial support over the 21 years to Perbury Group, who are celebrating their 65th anniversary. They have made a generous contribution."

Chair of Test Valley in Bloom, Roy Williams, said: "We apologise to all of you who have shown interest this year and offer our sincere thanks to all who have so loyally supported us over the years. We very much hope that circumstances will change to allow us to resume activities in the future."