JUDGES from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) were in for a surprise when they arrived in Usk for the Britain in Bloom competition last week, as Usk in Bloom’s chairman, Tony Kear, turned up at their hotel in an armoured personnel carrier.

After rolling through the town’s streets and heading for the castle, the judges embarked on a walking tour of the town where they viewed, and assessed, the many months of hard work Usk in Bloom’s army of volunteers had put into this year’s competition.

The organising team behind the Usk in Bloom decided to treat the Britain in Bloom competition’s judges to something a little bit different this year by taking them on a tour of the town in an armoured car.

Jon Wheatley and Jim Goodwin, from the Royal Horticultural Society, were picked up from their hotel on August 2 by Usk in Bloom’s chairman, Tony Kear, who was manning a machine gun on top of an Armoured Personnel Carrier – a type of military vehicle more commonly seen in Helmand Province than in Twyn Square.

“The aim was to make Usk a memorable visit for the judges”, Mr Kear said.

“They said they’d never heard of or seen anything like this before in their years of experiences judging competitions.”

The armoured car, loaned to Usk in Bloom by the local Tank School, certainly caught the eye, and the judges appreciated how local businesses were supporting the town’s campaign.

The judges later completed their two-and-a-half hour tour of Usk on foot, taking in gardening displays created by pupils at Usk Church in Wales Primary School, the local Girl Guides, a residential home and nursery, as well as several private gardens carefully curated over the previous year.

They also met the town’s mayor and consort at the town’s Session House.

“Everyone, including the judges, enjoyed the day”, Mr Kear said.

“It was a chance to show off Usk at its very best – not just the displays but the community spirit behind them.”

The town, which has won awards at the Welsh and UK level for many years, is this year competing in the ‘Champion of Champions’ class – a special category for towns which are consistently awarded the gold standard for their entries.

Usk is competing in that class against Newcastle-under-Lyme, Didsbury, Truro, Sidmouth and Market Bosworth.

My Kear said Usk stands out from the others because of its relative size.

“We’re a much smaller town – and our team is made up entirely of volunteers – that makes our work even more enjoyable”, he said.

Mr Kear and his colleagues will head to Belfast on October 19 for the results of the Britain in Bloom competition.