Britain in gloom.

Byline: By Vince Gledhill

Thieves wreck flower displays

Thieves could have wrecked a town's chance of holding of on to its Northumbria in Bloom title.

Plants and flowers worth hundreds of pounds have been stolen from flower beds in Morpeth in the past few days, just as judges from Northumbria In Bloom arrived in the town to carry out their spring assessment for the contest.

Last year Morpeth won the Best Town Title and had high hopes of retaining the award.

Gardeners from Castle Morpeth Borough Council had to rush to the beds with replacement plants and try to get them in ahead of the judges' arrival.

Almost 50 heathers were taken from beside Stobhill roundabout, with more than 30 forest flames and three formiums stolen from beds in Howard Road and Green Lane.

The thefts were discovered just as the council's gardening team was putting the finishing touches to displays in the town ahead of the judges' visit last Thursday.

Losing the plants at such an important time for the town is bad enough, but Coun Andrew Tebbutt, the council's green and clean services spokesman said it looks as if they have been stolen to order or by a plant lover.

He said: "Sometimes such displays are subjected to vandalism by youths, but in this case the plants and shrubs have been carefully taken, with no mess."

The total value of the plants taken is more than pounds 350. Andy Rutherford, green and clean manager, said: "We are desperately trying to improve the environment here and I would urge anyone who has any information to let us know so we can pass it on to the police."