Havering residents have been rewarded for their gardening exploits as part of a borough-wide competition.

The annual Havering in Bloom contest gives people the chance to enter a variety of categories in a bid to make the borough a more colourful place.

Winners and runners-up were presented with certificates at Havering Town Hall by the borough's mayor, Cllr Michael Deon Burton.

Among the categories that were part of the awards were best communal garden and tallest sunflower.

Cllr Deon Burton said: "It is a wonderful achievement by all who took part and I want to congratulate everyone. This competition takes place every year but we are more impressed each time at the creativity and dedication that is put in.

"It is a fantastic reflection of just how much our residents enjoy their communities and want to help us make them look beautiful and bright.

"We're extremely proud of our green borough and the efforts of everyone who took part in this competition, including the work that goes on by our staff in our parks and open spaces on a daily basis."

Award winners included Gemma Towe, from Romford, who won for best front and back garden respectively, with the latter also won by Leonard Watkinson, from Hornchurch.

Hornchurch's Susan Cotterrill and Bernard Murphy received the best communal garden accolade, while Amy Towe, from Romford, won best allotment site.

Christina Bridgen, from Romford, took home best allotment plot and Hornchurch resident Angela Bathurst was given the award for the tallest sunflower.

This year's guest judge was Barry Farleigh, a resident who has been involved with Havering in Bloom for many years.

The competition comes on the back of the borough winning multiple accolades at London in Bloom.

It achieved 16 Gold awards, six Silver Gilt and one Silver award, as well as a number of special awards for parks, town centres and cemeteries.

Runners-up in Havering in Bloom were as follows - best communal garden: Peter Cox, Hornchurch and Clare Kelly, Hornchurch; best front garden: Parminder Singh, Hornchurch and Marie Wilkinson, Romford; best back garden: Peter Nutley, Romford; tallest sunflower: Vanessa Revill, Hornchurch.