GREEN-FINGERED students have walked away with a gardening accolade at the Young Gardeners of the Year competition.

Colchester students at Writtle College, near Chelmsford, were handed the People’s Choice award at this year’s Ideal Home Show.

Jack Elliott and Rob Band, both of Colchester, and East Mersea’s Martin Overton were part of the college team which had just four days to make the garden.

More than 11,500 visitors to the show voted their garden to be the favourite of the six created by colleges.

Simon Watkins, lecturer in horticulture at Writtle College, who provided guidance to the team of students who designed and built this year’s entry, said: “We’re over the moon with the award.

“Designing, creating and building a garden that Ideal Home Show visitors judged as their favourite is a great accolade.

“It fills me with pride for all involved in its creation.”

The annual contest gives students an opportunity to showcase their work and celebrate the best of sustainable British gardening.

It sees six of the UK’s leading horticultural colleges go head-to-head to create a show-stopping sustainable garden.