Shrewsbury is taking part in its second international floral competition this week after judges from America and Canada flew in.

The county town is representing England in the large category of the international challenge of Communities in Bloom.

Shrewsbury is competing against Aberdeen, in Scotland, and several cities in Canada and the USA for the prestigious accolade.

It comes just three days after 14 judges visited Shrewsbury for the Entente Florale contest.

Today’s event was set to follow the same schedule as Tuesday, with the judges taken on a whirlwind tour of sites and community projects before enjoying a walking tour of this town this afternoon.

One of the sites the judges were taken to this morning was Meole allotments, in Vicarage Road, Meole Brace, where they were shown around by Luigi and Ada Valducci.

Mr Valducci is a regular gold prize winner at Shrewsbury Flower Show, and made his first appearance at Tatton Park this year in the marquee of the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens, where his plants formed part of a display garden which won a gold medal.

At lunchtime, the judges were due to to tuck into a meal at Drapers Hall restaurant, in St Mary’s Place.

The two judges deciding if Shrewsbury has what it takes to scoop the Communities in Bloom title flew into Manchester Airport yesterday.

They were due to finish today’s tour in the Dingle, the Quarry’s floral centrepiece, at 4.30pm.