A Norfolk village which carried off top prize in the Britain in Bloom contest last week is already in the running to take the prize next year.

On Wednesday, Filby, near Great Yarmouth, won the best overall award in this year's Anglia in Bloom competition for the fourth successive year, beating villages from the region's six counties.

The latest win is in the regional heat of the nationwide Britain in Bloom 2003 competition.

The village has just 540 residents, and many are actively involved in the year-round work to keep Filby blooming.

Most villagers help with the displays

The latest success was revealed at the Anglia in Bloom awards ceremony at St Andrew's Hall in Norwich.

Filby also took the award for communities with a population of fewer than 10,000.

Bury St Edmunds, in Suffolk, which last week won a silver award in the Britain in Bloom competition, was awarded the Anglia in Bloom prize for communities of more than 10,000 residents.

The judges were impressed by the town's displays along with community, environmental and conservation activities.

Two new awards introduced by the organisers, the Royal Horticultural Society, went to Cromer for the best small coastal resort and to Great Yarmouth for the best large coastal resort.

Norwich won the prize for the best city, Sudbury in Suffolk was the best town for the second year running, with Brightlingsea in Essex taking the best small town category.