STAFF at Hadlow College near Tonbridge are celebrating first place for their scientific display at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The team, led by Lindsay Pamphilon, lecturer in charge of production horticulture, has received a gold medal for a mock-garden display on phytochemicals.

Brian Patey, the college's publicity and exhibitions officer, said: "The display was to do with phytochemicals, which are substances that you find in fruit and vegetables and which help to prevent heart disease and cancer."

He said: "You've heard the message of eating five portions of fruit and veg a day and this was continuing on from that - looking at the science of why you should do that."

The display - Phyting Fit - includes a model of a gardener in the mock garden to attract visitors' attention.

Hadlow College has picked up a medal for its displays at the show every year since 1994.

Mr Patey added: "It's excellent. We've been doing Chelsea for something like eight years and this is the first gold for three years, so we are really pleased."

The Chelsea Flower Show ends on Friday (May 24).