HUGE efforts from the whole community are needed if Otley is to bounce back from a dismal result in a regional horticultural competition.

That is the message from judges and residents involved in Yorkshire in Bloom which last week announced that Otley was ranked second from bottom town in the county.

April's judging of the competition left the town languishing at the foot of the table after dropping ten points and seven places on the previous year. Otley was also 16 points behind winners Ilkley.

Judges particularly highlighted the lack of community participation in Otley's competition entry.

Frank Robinson, chairman of the Yorkshire in Bloom judges, said evidence of awareness and taking part was very important.

"Our most successful towns are those which have a very enthusiastic committee, which has a lot of people from all walks of life and who are all pulling the same way.

"A lot depends on that committee and when they are encouraging good work from the town, it gives them that extra bit above the other entries," he said.

Mr Robinson said towns which wanted to accumulate points should ensure many organisations were visibly involved in the Yorkshire in Bloom displays.

"Your Wetherbys and your Ilkleys have examples from their schools, from their townswomen's guilds - that sort of thing. It's really the key to getting those points," he said.

Only Beverley came off worse out of the 11 towns taking part. Otley's position was a particular anti-climax measured against that of 1997 when it came third in the spring judging and fourth overall.

Disappointing private gardens, rubbish tipped on open land and weeds all swung the balance away from success in 1998.

And as Otley took stock of the result this week, town councillor Jennifer Clifton agreed with Mr Robinson's advice. "We really do have to persuade more members of the community to get involved - the work of the town and city councils just isn't enough," she said.

Coun Clifton said attempts to establish a larger group committed to the competition some two years ago had failed to attract the necessary response. "With the best will in the world, if only a few people are actively doing something, they can only form a small part of the overall picture," she said.

A generally apathetic approach to Otley in general was blamed in part by Tonia Hearne, president of Otley's Chamber of Trade and Commerce. ""A lot of people moan but do very little," she said. "If we want people to come to Otley and to do well in these competitions, we must be responsible for making it look nice and spend some time and money on doing that."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.