Life is blossoming at a Keighley resource centre.

Day centre clients at the Oaks, in Oakworth Road, have seen a horticultural project grow. Over 80 sunflowers nurtured from seed are now climbing to several feet high.

And the colourful display, which was instigated by care assistant Shirley Wright, has been entered in a best-kept garden competition, organised as part of the Keighley in Bloom campaign.

Val Reeves, temporary unit manager at the Oaks, said: "The enthusiasm among clients and staff for the sunflower project has been absolutely fantastic. It started out with seed trays and progressed to pots, now the flowers are quite a talking point -- we call them the triffids! People come along specially to see them."

Entries are still being sought for the best-kept garden competition, organised by Keighley Horticultural Society and the town council's recreation and leisure committee.

It is being judged in three categories -- front garden, small garden (up to 750 sq ft) and container garden, which includes balconies, window boxes and hanging baskets. Entries can be submitted in one or more categories. A judging panel will decide which gardens should go forward to the second stage of the competition, when a visit will take place. A trophy will be awarded to the winner in each category.

Winners will be announced at Keighley Show, at Marley playing fields, on September 6. Entry forms are available from Keighley Library, the Information Centre, in the town hall, and from the Keighley News reception area. The deadline for entries is next Friday. People can, if they wish, submit with the form a letter giving more details of their garden's features and/or photographs.