The winners of this year's Cumbria in Bloom competition are celebrating after months of planting and pruning paid off.

More than 40 awards were presented to local groups, concerned with improving their local environment, at a ceremony in Ulverston.

This year, more than 100 entries were received for the various categories including the schools gardening competition, its your neighbourhood, towns, villages, tourism businesses and other special nominations.

A spokeswoman for Cumbria in Bloom said: "Entries are judged by a panel of volunteer judges on three broad criteria – local community involvement, environmental benefits, and gardening achievement; and awards are made to recognise overall performance."

An added incentive for participants is that there is the possibility of being nominated to next year's Britain in Bloom finals competition.

Cumbria's representatives this year were Penrith, Ulverston, Dalston, Bothel and Stanwix in the Urban Community category.

The national results will be announced in Belfast on October 20.

Paul Nedved, city councillor for Stanwix urban, said: "I am absolutely thrilled that Stanwix has won the Innovia Trophy for the Best Urban Community Award for the fourth time in five years.

"We achieved a silver-gilt standard.

"It is a fantastic achievement for all the community/voluntary groups involved over the months.

"Other successes were Stanwix School as winners of the best school garden award for their container garden - this was a first for the school with a trophy and certificate."

Barn Close Residential Home were runners -up in the residential home category and Carr's Group HQ were runner's up in the best industrial/ commercial premises category.

Mr Nedved said: "This is the first time Stanwix has picked up four awards at the Cumbria in Bloom Awards."

The Cumberland News Trophy for Best Tidy Village went to Bolton, near Appleby and Kirkoswald was the runner up.

The village of Dalston, near Carlisle, also did very well with St Michael's Churchyard and Cemetery winning the Provincial Insurance Trophy.

The Blue Bell Inn won a Cumbria in Bloom Tourism Trophy for best public house.

The village also scooped the Cumbria County Council Trophy award for achievement in the district.

And it also won the National Park Trophy for Best Large Village.

Dalston also received a gold Community Medal Award.

Aspatria won the Jennings Trophy for Best Small Town and Penrith won the Sellafield Trophy for Best Large Town.

It was also a joint winner, along with Ulverston, in the Best Overall Town & Urban Community, receiving the Rickerby Ltd Trophy.

Penrith and the Penrith BID also won gold Community Medals.

The BID was also a winner in the Business Improvment District category.