AS SUMMER slowly inches into view The Auld Grey Town is poised to explode into a riot of floral colour with the launch of Kendal Pride.

The competition, which is in its fourth year, is designed to get Kendalians gardening, brighten up the streets and bring about a warm civic glow.

Organised in conjunction with The Westmorland Gazette, Kendal Pride gives gardeners of all ages and levels of experience a chance to muck in and get growing.

Prizes in the form of trophies and garden centre vouchers are on offer for the best entries.

Now that the frosts have gone and winter is on the run, the time has come to get involved.

Even having no front garden is no excuse as categories include window boxes and hanging basket creations.

This year even more sections have been added to the competition to broaden the scope of the event and shrinking violets will be encouraged to take part with a new nomination system allowing individuals to put both themselves and others forward for entry.

In order to capture the beauty of the town at its peak, event organisers introduced a photographic category last year, which encourages town's folk to take to the streets armed with a camera and photograph Kendal in bloom.

Any photographs of flowers, plants of gardens taken in the Kendal area will be accepted.

The event is part of the larger regional competition Cumbria In Bloom and this year competition organisers are hoping that Kendal will make an even bigger impression on county judges to earn some top prizes.

Town centre manager Maria Apppleton said: "When we launched the competition we called it Kendal Pride because it is about local people taking pride in their town.

Since we started this event four years ago it has grown of its own accord going from strength to strength."

Kendal town councillor Avril Dobson said: "We did really well last year in the Cumbria In Bloom awards, becoming runners up.

This could be our year."

The closing date for entries will be July 1, with judging taking place on July 8.

Entry forms will be available from Holmes of Natland and Webbs Garden Centre and will be printed regularly in The Westmorland Gazette starting next week along with further competition details.