Frinton: Resort's sand going for gold (From Clacton and Frinton Gazette)

Frinton: Resort's sand going for gold

1:41pm Tuesday 6th May 2008

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AWARD-winning garden designers are hoping to be crowned king of the castle at this year's Chelsea Flower Show.

Sand from Frinton beach will be used as part of the garden designed by Adam Woolcott and Jonathan Smith, of Woolcott and Smith Garden Design, and Cormac Conway of Conway Landscaping.

The trio, from Bishops Stortford, hope sand from the genteel resort will help them to obtain their third gold medal at the prestigious flower show.

About 20 sacks of sand will be transported to London to create a 20sq m beach.

"Our garden is set in the 1950s seaside and will see deckchairs and a picnic, as well as a rock pool and wave machine," said Mr Woolcott.

"There will be a cliff at the back with coastal shrubs and grass and it will be encircled by reclaimed groynes.

"We choose Frinton because I know district councillor Giles Watling through a mutual friend and because I used to come to this part of the world for holidays.

"Our designs are quite nostalgic and olde worlde, so we're hoping Frinton can help us to achieve another gold."

The designers have won gold medals in the People's Award at the last two Chelsea Flower Shows.

Mr Watling said most beaches are owned by the Crown Estate but that Tendring Council leases Frinton beach, so permission had to be granted by both parties before the sand could be taken.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for Tendring, the district council and Frinton in particular," he said.

"It will be great to see our sand on display at the Chelsea Flower Show."

Mr Watling said the designers will be returning the sand to the beach after the show, which starts on May 20, and that they will even be making a £150 donation to Frinton in Bloom.

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