Councillor Doreen Stephenson – leader of East Lindsey District Council greeted them on arrival and paid tribute to the hard work of all the sponsors and volunteers who had made such a difference to the appearance of the town.

Mike McDonald, Mablethorpe’s Business and Tourism manager said: “We had really only started in earnest in March this year, but the judges were impressed by the amount of effort which had been put in – and also by the improvements made as shown by before and after photographs.”

In their closing speech, the judges said: “The In Bloom competition is not just about floral displays – to be successful entries need to show a commitment to improving the whole of the environment around them by involving everyone in business, the community and local authorities. Mablethorpe has done a great job in its first year”

The results of the competition will be announced in September at a national In Bloom seminar.