Henry Bloom Noble and Willaston primary schools have triumphed in Douglas Borough Council’s daffodil-growing competition.

Deputy Mayor Councillor Jon Joughin with, left to right, Silvester and Martina Sipos, Juan Clarke, Samuel Sipos, four, and Beth Upton-Jones, deputy head teacher at Willaston School

At an awards presentation at Douglas town hall hosted by the Deputy Mayor of Douglas Councillor Jon Joughin Willaston primary school received the Overall School Winner for Best Daffodil shield and £100 of book vouchers sponsored by Scottish Widows and the school’s Samuel Sipos, four, took the Best Daffodil award.

The prize for the overall best decorated pot went to Ali Spasova from the Henry Bloom Noble School, which received £100 of book vouchers and became holder of the Oxley Cup.

Deputy mayor Councillor Jon Joughin with Ali Spasova, 10

The occasion also provided an opportunity for head of parks Dave Hewes to pay tribute to Alan Corris who recently retired from the Council after 43 years’ service, some 15 of which were spent at Ballaughton nursery. Mr Hewes calculated that while working at the nursery Mr Corris had been involved in the planting of some 2,250,000 plants.

For the competition the Council’s parks department provided 2,264 bulbs and growing material to 13 primary schools in the borough.  The pupils’ horticultural efforts were then judged by the department’s Graham Newsome and Regeneration and Community Committee Chairman Councillor John Skinner who said he was ‘pleasantly surprised and impressed with the tremendous efforts of the children with encouragement from their parents and teachers.’