SUDELLSIDE in Darwen could soon be showing off its true colours if a green-fingered scheme is successful.

Leaders of Sudellside Community Centre hope to organise a 'Sudell in Bloom' competition, where people can enter their street, home or just a hanging basket.

The scheme has even been praised by the Royal Horticultural Society, which says that it will encourage civic pride and help clean up the area.

Centre manager Sue Frear said: "It might make people a bit more aware of their community.

"We want people to start on it now, over the next few months, and it will be judged in August. Hopefully we are trying to make people look after the area and make it a bit tidier."

A spokesman for the Royal Horticultural Society, which runs Britain in Bloom, said: "It is nice to see a community group using horticulture in such a positive way.

"Campaigns like Britain in Bloom encourage community groups up and down the country to use their initiative to improve the local environment.

"It benefits a community through enhancement of local surroundings, stimulating civic pride and great levels of cleanliness."

Sue added: "Some of the streets are terraced so they aren't going to have gardens, so they could do it as tidiest streets or hanging baskets.

"If people have front gardens it might give people the initiative to tidy them up. I am going to go around all the florists and garden centres cap in hand and see if they could donate some prizes!

"I have suggested the idea to some people in the centre and everyone I have been talking to thinks it's a really good idea."

Residents can watch out for posters, or ring the centre on 01254 760270.