A top award has been presented to Dufftown in Bloom by Scotland's leading charity for the environment in recognition of efforts to improve the local community.

The award was made by the charity Keep Scotland Beautiful at a ceremony in Motherwell.

The prestigious Beautiful Scotland award ceremony, this year hosted by North Lanarkshire Council, is the climax of a year of continuous work by local people throughout Scotland who have worked hard to successfully transform their local environments.

First time entrant in the national Beautiful Scotland competition, Dufftown in Bloom won the Community Horticultural Award and a Silver Gilt medal certificate.

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During the past year, Dufftown in Bloom volunteers have not only filled the streets and green spaces with colourful hanging baskets and planters, but they were commended by the judges for their polytunnel, soup and sweet fundraiser, and the planting of sustainable and pollinating plants around the outskirts of the village.

Dufftown in Bloom was competing with 52 communities from across Scotland in the 2012 Beautiful Scotland competition and was visited by highly-experienced judges during a national tour in July and August.

Derek Robertson, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: "Beautiful Scotland, a campaign run by Keep Scotland Beautiful, celebrates the work of communities, from whole cities to villages, who pull together to improve and enhance their local areas. Through floral enhancement, community participation, and taking responsibility for tackling the criminal activity of littering and dog fouling, this Beautiful Scotland group is making a massive difference to Moray and our country.

"The awards presented at this ceremony go some way to recognising all the endless hours which volunteers and local authorities put in throughout the year to ensure that visitors and local community members are able to enjoy clean, green and sustainable surroundings."

(CD)