BEAUTIFUL blooms and shrubbery will be pruned to perfection for this year's Heart of England in Bloom competition.

Throughout July, six entries from Worcester-shire and seven from Herefordshire will battle it out, each hoping to scoop a gold award and go through to next year's Britain in Bloom competition.

Last year Evesham won a gold award in the large town category and Ledbury won a gold award in the town category with Ross-on-Wye picking up the silver.

Upton-upon-Severn has won a gold award in the large village category two years in succession and the community has joined forces to make this year's event bigger and better.

"It really is community spirit that prepares for the competition," said chairman of the organising committee, Eric White.

"It's all about selling Upton to bring in tourists."

People have been rolling up their sleeves to plant bulbs, pick litter and line the streets with flowers.

Pershore, Tenbury Wells, Broseley, Stourbridge and Evesham will also be entering for Worceste-rshire, joining Hereford-shire entries Leominster, Ledbury, Hereford, Brom-yard, Tarrington, Eardis-land and Ross-on-Wye.

. Hereford scooped a gold award for the small city category, with Bromyard getting silver for the small town group and Leominster a silver for the large neighbourhood.

Mayor of Bromyard, Gillian Churchill said residents young and old were excited: "We've been extremely busy finding sponsorship," she said.

The town will be lined with barrels of flowers and youngsters have been planting vegetables.

Judge Les Goodman said: "Judging becomes a greater challenge each year as entrants try to better their achievements and strive for that elusive gold award.

"It all goes to make the Heart of England region a wonderfully colourful, vibrant and enjoyable place to be this summer."

The two counties will compete against 47 other entries from across the country.