BONNIE Peebles organisers have said they are “absolutely delighted” after the town scooped the Floral Gateway Champion of Champions award.

Communities from across the Borders descended on Scottish Borders Council headquarters for the announcement of the 2016 winners, last Tuesday.

And Peebles was awarded the top prize in the competition, which celebrates the most beautiful towns and villages in the region.

Avril Murray, the co-ordinator of Bonnie Peebles, told the Peeblesshire News: “We are all absolutely delighted with the result.

“We work very hard all year round to look after the all of the flowerbeds. It was really nice because it’s the first time we’ve won this award. We have won the town award before, but not the main one,” she added.

“It’s great for everyone. We have about 15 volunteers and nine on the committee and we are a really relaxed group.

“We set up a yearly calendar and we start at the beginning of May and there’s always around six to 10 people helping.”

Kelso was named as the best town while Melrose scooped the large village award.

Councillor David Paterson, SBC’s executive member for environmental services, said: “The Floral Gateway Awards aim to recognise the huge amount of work which goes in across the Borders by teams of volunteers, and I am delighted that communities have also embraced the new awards we introduced last year.

“Well done to all participants but particularly the hard working team at Peebles who thoroughly deserved the Champion of Champions award.

“On behalf of the council, I thank all the entrants for their efforts in helping to make the Borders a beautiful place to live and visit.”

This year’s winners:

Champion of Champions: Peebles
Town: 1 Kelso; 2 Hawick; 3 Galashiels
Large village: 1 Melrose; 2 Newtown St Boswells; 3 Lauder
Small village: 1 Ayton; 2 Greenlaw; 3 Ancrum
Wee village: 1 Birgham; 2 Morebattle; 3 Burnmouth
Border biodiversity winner: Ancrum
Clean and tidy winners: Duns, Eyemouth, Kelso and Melrose
Quality of life winners: Lauder and Birgham
Welcome Award winners: Duns, Eyemouth, Kelso and Lauder

The four joint winners of the clean and tidy award each receive a new waste bin for their communities, while the two quality of life winners will receive a new bench.