INSPIRED gardeners across the Bradford district have won barrow loads of praise in this year's Yorkshire in Bloom Awards.

Bradford University completed a hat-trick and picked up its third gold award on the trot for best further education centre.

And the Shipley in Bloom Action Group notched up another Silver Gilt Rose Award for its entry in the Small Town category.

As part of Shipley's success, the Northcliffe Environmental Enterprise Team (The NEET Project) scooped a Gold Rose Award in the Public and Private Charitable category for its work helping local people tackle personal difficulties through involvement in gardening.

For the third year running, Bradford University’s grounds team carried off the best in category Yorkshire in Bloom Gold Rose Award for universities, colleges and further education establishments.

The team won a separate Gold Award for the quality of the grounds and a special Environmental Quality Award which they received at a ceremony at York Racecourse earlier this week.

Judges visited the University’s city centre campus and the School of Management and were particularly impressed by the environmental awareness of the planting, highlighting the ‘delight of varied wildlife-friendly planting which includes the green roof, ponds, woodland walks, meadow planting, herbs, fruit and vegetable planting throughout being available for pick your own schemes to encourage student involvement.

The university team has also worked closely with Foxhill Primary School, encouraging the pupils to get involved with gardening.

Chris Mudd, building maintenance officer and team leader, said: “We’re extremely proud to have won this award for a third year running and it’s a real testament to the hard work the team have put in yet again.

They are passionate about what they do and that really shows through in the quality of the grounds that everybody can enjoy.”

In Shipley the Yorkshire in Bloom judges, Lee Senior and Mike Cunningham, commented: "Shipley is full of unexpected hidden gems, many of which are not obvious to the passer by and has potential to go further.”

Shipley town centre manager Yvonne Crossley praised the golden result by NEET, which presented a 1914 garden for judging, and also the Northcliffe Allotment Society, which achieved a Thriving Award.

She said: "It's such fabulous news - I can't thank everyone enough for all their hard work in supporting Shipley civic pride in such a positive, creative and healthy way."

The Shipley in Bloom Action Group is supported by Bradford Council, Shipley town centre businesses and the Bradford and District Chamber of Trade.

Councillor Andrew Thornton Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Environment and Sport said: "The Shipley in Bloom Action Group have put a lot of hard work in to this competition and this achievement is well deserved.”

Other successful areas across the district included Abbeydale Residential Home, Ilkley which gained a gold award as did the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway .