Rochester is set to look blooming lovely this summer - thanks to the generosity of businesses, residents and organisations in the town.

Together they have raised more than £5,000 to ensure the High Street and castle area will be festooned with floral displays.

Troughs and hanging baskets are providing a blaze of colour on lampposts and window ledges over the coming months.

Members of Rochester City Centre Forum are behind the initiative and have been backed by traders and residents involved on The City Artisan Market which is held on the second Saturday of each month.

Profits from the market will pay for the watering and maintenance of the flower containers.

Forum chairman Sarah Tranter said: “There has been huge support for this venture. “Everyone knows how flowers make a place more beautiful and around 80 generous donators from the community have made our high street an even better place to spend time in.

“There have been countless emails and conversations with Amethyst Horticulture who are supplying the flowers.

“Medway Council moved signs and brackets to prepare the lampposts for the grand installation.

“I’m hoping that now we’ve paid a one-off sum for new baskets, that this will be something people enjoy sponsoring and is sustainable year after year.”

Medway Norse, the council-run maintenance company, has offered advice over the last eight months.

In recognition of all contributors, a poster thanking them is in the window of the Visitor Information Centre in the High Street.

In the past, Medway Council has won national horticultural competitions for its colourful displays.

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