Staff at HMS Raleigh have put their garden skills to the ultimate test to take part in a ’Raleigh in Bloom’ competition.

Nine teams took part in the competition to transform the flower beds in a communal area within the training base at Torpoint and give them a new lease of life.

The team from the Military Training Unit and 1 Assault Group Royal Marines, consisting of Chief Petty Officer Craig Hewitt, Chief Petty Officer Steven Burton and civilian member of staff Jacqui Guy took first prize.

CPO Hewitt said: ’We got a collective together to come up with some ideas and then the three of us worked on the design. We got some redundant bits and pieces from the school and then just made the flower bed. Our inspiration came from the items around us, so the targets we use, the boots we wear and the helmets we wear every day.’

Coming a close second place were ESS Facilities, followed by ESS Victory Galley in third place. ESS provides a range of catering and hospitality services at the base.

Others taking part in the competition included, Interserve Defence, Babcock, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation with Carillion Amey, the Royal Navy School of Seamanship, the Defence Maritime Logistics School and Initial Recruit training.

Each team was given £100 by the Central Amenities Fund to buy flowers and other materials. Competitors were requested to have a sustainable theme with longevity considered in plant choices that would also attract species of wild-life such as bees.

Judging the green fingered event was HMS Raleigh’s Commanding Officer, Captain Ellie Ablett, and the BBC’s David Fitzgerald

David said: ’There is a lot of creativity here and the best thing about it, it makes you smile.’