A SOUTH Lakeland village is celebrating winning a national gardening competition award but organisers fear that the position of road signs in the village could mar their chances in future years.

The picturesque village of Hawkshead proved that it was a force to be reckoned with in gardening terms at this year's Britain in Bloom campaign.

The campaign is the largest of its type in Europe, with hundreds of villages and cities taking part each year to find the best of British gardening.

Following a storming performance in this year's Cumbria in Bloom Award, the village took a Royal Horticultural Society Silver Award in this year's Britain in Bloom campaign.

However, judges deemed that there was room for improvement in terms of the positioning of road signs in the village in relation to the floral displays.

Jacqulyn Muir, a member of the Hawkshead in Bloom Committee who helped to organise the campaign this year, said that the village's success was down to team work.

"It is something that everybody pulls together for. Everyone lends a hand in one way or another. Each year, we go round and ask people what they are planning for this year. Everyone is very helpful," she said.

But she added that she felt that some road signs positioned in the village did not help it to look its best.

"There are one or two in particular that we may look into getting moved but that is very much in the future. At the moment, we have no definite plans to do so," she said.

Britain in Bloom judge Ian Wilson congratulated the committee on their success but said he felt that the position of signs in the village could be improved.

"I remember in particular that there was a speed sign right next to a flower bed, which only needed to be moved a few yards back to improve its appearance," he said.

He added that one of the aims of Britain in Bloom was to promote co-operation between campaign entrants and local authorities.

But Cumbria County Council spokesman Justin Hawkins said that the authority would not consider moving the position of road signs merely to help win the competition.