AN INITIATIVE that has seen an East Dorset town blossom turns 25 this year.

Members of Wimborne in Bloom dedicate themselves to making the town beautiful all year round.

The committee was formed in 1992, when then-mayor Anthony Oliver was invited with wife Christine to attend the Southern England in Bloom prizegiving in Bournemouth.

In 1994, Wimborne was awarded the 'small town' title in the regional competition.

Mr Oliver said: "We used to have something called 'keep Wimborne tidy', and my wife and I were involved with that, and then we were invited to the competition for Southern England.

"We came back from that saying to ourselves, 'If others can do it, why can't we?'"

Unlike many other 'in Bloom' campaigns, Wimborne's efforts are organised by volunteers with little council funding.

"When we first started out, we just had some tubs and we'd do all our own planting and watering," Mr Oliver said.

"As it's grown over the years, we've had a good deal more sponsorship and all that is contracted out."

Volunteers who participate in the event have helped to raise tens of thousands of pounds to keep the campaign going.

Mr Oliver said: "In 2016, £19,000 was raised.

"This funded all the flower towers and most of the planters around the town, together with window boxes and 150 hanging baskets."

Wimborne has won the 'small town' category on eight occasions and achieved a 'silver gilt' on five.

It has also been a winner of 'best community involvement', 'best floral content', 'best display of gardens throughout a community' and 'best tree-planting programme'.

Mr Oliver said judges mark on cleanliness, floral content and community involvement.

"Over the years, a lot of Dorset towns have pulled out of the competition," he said.

"Christchurch doesn't get involved any more, and they won on a number of occasions.

"Funding is a real problem for some places."

Keeping the town lovely needs constant attention, he said.

"We want it to look beautiful all the time, not just in the summer when the judges come to visit," he added.

"There are litter teams who work at it all the time.

"It takes a great deal of effort but it's so, so worth it."