HENLEY has denied national media reports that it sacked its flower contractors because it lost to Marlow in the Thames and Chiltern in Bloom competition.

The allegations were made in a daily newspaper last month after Henley lost to Marlow by nine points in the competition, which is part of Britain in Bloom.

Marlow was pitted solely against Henley in the regional town section it was entered for, which it won by 149 points to 140, but both received silver awards overall.

It was alleged that Henley sacked the contractors who maintain its hanging baskets because it couldn't stand to be beaten by its close rival.

But Cllr Elizabeth Hodgkin, chairman for Henley in Bloom, said the town council parted company with the contractors before the winners were announced.

She said: "It was because the flower baskets died. There were maintenance issues. The feeling was that this wasn't going to improve and it was time to move on."

She added: "We were very happy with what we got."

Despite the loss, Henley did win a top award for the flowers arranged on one of their roundabouts. Their town council actually staged the competition award ceremony several weeks ago, which was attended by Marlow mayor, Cllr Roger Wilson.

Cllr Wilson said Marlow deserved to pip Henley. He added: "We deserved to win. I went around with the judges and I was very impressed with the standards people had not only coming down the High Street but places like the Marlow Bar and Grill, for example, had super flowers.

"The competition is about how the residents look after their premises and there should not be much of an input from the rural council."

Henley Town Council refused to reveal who their contractors were.