CHIPPENHAM NEWS: GREEN fingered students are hoping to successfully defend their crown at a national gardening competition.

Lackham College pupil Ruth Collins is among 10 of the best gardeners in the country taking part in the Students Garden Challenge.

Last year the college scooped first prize in the annual event and are hoping to repeat it with a second gold.

Students taking part are given £600 to design and build a garden at the National Amateur Garden Show in Somerset.

Anything needed over the budget must be begged, bought or borrowed.

Television gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh will pick the winners and Ground Force builder Tommy Walsh will present the prizes. The best gardener will win a gold award and £1,000 cash.

Last year's gardening competition was won by Wiltshire College Lackham students Heidi Thompson and Sabbi Ward.

A spokesman for the awards said: "This is the sixth time the challenge has been run at the National Amateur Gardening Show, giving up-and-coming garden designers and landscapers from some of the UK's leading horticultural colleges the chance to show the world what they can do.

"Many previous finalists have been snapped up for success in the design and landscape industries."

This year Lackham College is up against 10 students from across the southwest.