Neighbours. Everybody needs good neighbours – and that includes Dartmouth's bloom team.

Last year the town entered six different locations into the regional Britain in Bloom Your Neighbourhood Awards and they all came away with a mention.

This year the Dartmouth in Bloom team wants to double that number.

And it could be particularly important this year when the town has got a shot at a national bloom award for the first time in almost a decade.

Dartmouth in Bloom's marketing and publicity officer Sue Thomson said: 'I think this would be a good year for all the residents of Dartmouth and Townstal to have a look around where they live to see if there is a patch of land that would benefit from some tender, loving care and then go for it.'

Last year the town's Milton Lane allotments, the naval college's Britannia Wood, the town community greenhouse and the Dartmouth Academy, Stoke Fleming School and St John's Roman Catholic School all entered the neighbourhood bloom scheme.

So far this year the allotments and the naval college have stepped up again along with the Dartmouth Baptist Church, Browns Hill Road and Coombe Road.

'This year we want to double the number,' said Sue.

Dartmouth has achieved a major floral coup this year after being invited to represent the whole of the South West in the national bloom awards.

The town will be up against 17 other towns in a section aimed at coastal towns with a population of up to 12,000.

Dartmouth has been clocking up awards in the regional finals of the bloom awards for the 33 years it has been entering.

But this is only the second time the town has ever had a shot at a national trophy and last time it came away empty handed.

Sue explained that the neighbourhood awards are aimed at encouraging groups of people who are prepared to involve themselves in community projects.

There are five levels – from establishing projects to outstanding.

She warned group looking for a project to make sure then know who owns the land before they start digging it up and she added: 'And remember, this is much more than gardening.'

Anyone who wants to put in for a Your Neighbourhood Award should get their project to Dartmouth in Bloom by the end of April.

Sue also pointed out that there is a category in the bloom awards for pubs and businesses and the more that get involved the better for the town's national chances of picking up more awards.