Ilkley'S floral displays are in line to be named the best in Britain tonight.

The town is hoping to see off its four rivals in the national Britain in Bloom finals. and bring the prestigious title to Wharfedale.

Leaders of all the villages, towns and cities entered in this year's Britain in Bloom competition will gather at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds tonight to hear the judges' final verdicts.

The results are a closely guarded secret and organisers would not speculate on their chances, but supporters have high hopes that the town will see off the challenge of the other finalists.

The town is up against Leicestershire's Market Harborough, Hexham in Northumberland, Nantwich in Cheshire and Dungannon in Northern Ireland.

Ilkley qualified for the final by taking first place in the town category of the regional Yorkshire in Bloom contest last year and is representing Yorkshire this year in the national contest.

Two judges came to see what Ilkley had to offer in August, and were taken on a tour - amid some lucky sunny weather - of Ilkley's main streets and attractions. The judges' visit coincided with the Ilkley Summer Festival, and Ilkley Flower Show Society put on a shop window competition on the theme of 'summer festival', to encourage businesses to brighten up the town.

Ilkley in Bloom also held its own annual competition, awarding prizes to the best private front gardens, business premises, pubs and residential and care homes. The group officially handed over its awards and trophies to the winners yesterday.

Ilkley in Bloom chairman Tony Gilroy said five representatives of Ilkley in Bloom, including the Deputy Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Choudhary Rangzeb, would be heading for the Royal Armouries today - but they still had no idea how Ilkley had faired in the competition.

"I think the ceremony will be exciting. There must be about 400 people going. The president of the Royal Horticultural Society, Sir Richard Carew Pole, will be presiding, and all the 60 or so finalists in all the categories should be there," said Mr Gilroy.

"Our objective is trying to keep Ilkley looking good. The competition is just a focal point, really, for what we do," he said. "If we win, it's brilliant, but if we don't it's not the end of the world, we've kept Ilkley looking good all the year round."

Instead of handing out first, second and third place awards, the Britain in Bloom competition can hand out several gold, silver gilt, silver or bronze awards to several entrants, depending on how judges rate the standard of the entry. The national town category was last year won by Barnstaple in Devon, which gained a Silver Gilt award.