TOWN Hall gardeners are keeping their "green" fingers crossed in this year's North West in Bloom competition.

Judges visited the borough earlier this month and seemed quietly impressed, but Bury will have to wait until the autumn to see if it has won an award.

This year's entry included new floral displays, sponsored roundabouts, garden refurbishments, an extended sponsored hanging basket scheme and educational gardens created by pupils from St Thomas's Primary, Elton Primary and Elton High Schools.

Towns are also judged on other criteria, such as permanent landscaping, local environmental quality and public awareness.

Mr Neil Long, Bury Council's head of parks and countryside, said: "The judges' comments were quite promising. The competition was successful in raising the overall standard of the environment in Bury and involved the support of many volunteers and community groups."

One recent visitor to the town, Mr Brian Williams, from Swansea in South Wales, admired the Bury in Bloom feature in Silver Street's Sparrow Park.

In an e-mail later sent to the council, he said: "It has been 40 years since I was last in Bury and I was greatly impressed."