A FLOWER-FILLED boat at Audlem is in need of your vote after it made the final of the first ever Boats in Bloom Awards.

‘Jodarolo’ owned by roving trader Claire Green is in the ‘Most Flower Filled Boat’ category of the awards which were launched for the first time this year by the Canal and River Trust.

Hundreds of boats were nominated over the summer in six different categories, including: most inventive use of space; best towpath garden or open space; best towpath business in bloom; and best wildlife-friendly towpath gardening initiative.

Matthew Symonds, boating manager at the Canal and River Trust, said: “Our Boats in Bloom awards are a way of saying thank you to all our boaters and towpath gardeners who are putting a smile on people’s faces with their green fingers.

“The Canal and River Trust works hard to keep the canals open for people to enjoy and it’s fantastic to see how boaters have been turning their vessels into mini oases, while many waterside businesses are festooned in flowers. We’ve had entries from London to Yorkshire and it’s clear that the gardening bug is alive and well on our waterways.

“Every blooming boat – from those that keep a pot of herbs or daffodils on deck to those that are covered in plants – brings a little bit of joy to the towpath. Well done and thank you to every boater and waterside gardener – you really make a difference.”

To vote visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/boatsinbloom