Little old Wisbech is set to go do battle with towns from across the globe

IT is officially the floral capital of East Anglia and now Wisbech is aiming for international success.

Green-fingered enthusiasts from the Fenland town will be going head to head with towns across the globe from Japan to Europe.

Winning gold as the best large town and gold overall in last year's Anglia in Bloom competition has led to an invitation for Wisbech to take part in the international contest 'Communities in Bloom'.

Judges will spend two days in August taking an in-depth look at everything floral. The town has been able to accept the invitation which came via Canada in Bloom thanks to a generous �1,000 sponsorship.

Penny Stocks of Wisbech in Bloom said: "We were approached about the competition because of our success in Anglia in Bloom. It costs �1,000 to enter and landscapers R J Warren of Whittlesey have very kindly paid the sponsorship for us and we are really grateful to them for that."

"I suppose we will be up against towns of a similar size but things will probably look totally different in other countries. We will get a comprehensive report back afterwards and like Anglia in Bloom it will be a learning curve."

This year's in bloom campaign was launched yesterday (Thursday) at the Octavia Hill Birthplace House.

Work has already started on getting the town ready for the in bloom awards with the creation of four beds opposite the Freedom Bridge roundabout. The work has been a collaboration between Wisbech in Bloom, the regeneration group wisARD, and the Environment Agency.

Mrs Stocks said: "It was a horrible big area of blank Tarmac and it has been a big job but it is worth it. It is going to look really good and we are nearly there."

Artist Fred White has been involved in the designs which have made use of locally sourced materials such as an anchor and rope from the port, large boulders from a demolition company and railway sleepers.