Jubilant Bury in Bloom organisers have hailed the ‘icing on the cake’ of their 30th anniversary by scooping the large town of the year award.

“We aim high and we’ve achieved,” said Bury’s chairman Alan Jary. “There was a comment from one of the judges that nobody can touch us with 500 hanging baskets.

“We’re over the moon and delighted and it wouldn’t happen without the people of Bury St Edmunds.”

This year also marks the 30th anniversary of Bury in Bloom and Mr Jary said winning was the “icing on the cake” as the town reached heights it has not attained since 2007. “We’re absolutely delighted,” said Bury’s coordinator Melanie Lesser. “It was a brilliant team effort throughout the town.”

Meanwhile after not entering at all last year, Sudbury in Bloom chairman Nick Irwin said he was thrilled to have come away with a silver award in the town category. Mr Irwin said earlier this year he would not take judges around the town’s Belle Vue Park as it was too rundown to withstand close scrutiny after a spending cut by Babergh District Council.

“I was very pleased to get a silver, I wasn’t expecting it – the town centre wasn’t at its highest standard,” he said.

“To get silver, I was very pleased, I think the judges were generous. Sudbury has looked better in previous years when we’ve won gold.”

Praise also went to the Eden Rose Coppice, which was nominated in the conservation category.