Deal hopes to be a blooming success this year and green fingers have already been at work transforming the town ahead of the Deal in Bloom contest this summer.

Pupils from Castle Community College got digging and planting with Deal Rotary Club, and the town and district councils.

The Scented Garden in front of St George’s Church is now filled with flowering plants provided by DDC, which the pupils lovingly planted.

The Deal Pier apron has also been attended to and now provides a bright and impressive display.

The wooden boxes along the seafront received the same treatment with flowers supplied by Cllr Wayne Elliott.

Deputy mayor, Marlene Burnham said: “The weather was very warm and sunny, with rain the previous evening, making the planting so much easier for the pupils.

“As chairman of the Deal in Bloom Working Group, I am simply amazed at the enthusiasm of the young people, along with their teachers giving them this opportunity to prove that our young people of today can get involved with community projects.

“My thanks to all involved, I encourage local residents to view what our young folk have done for our incredibly community-minded town of Deal. We now hope the judges on July 14 will agree with us.”