The village has been invited by the Royal Horticultural Society to compete in the prestigious 'Champion of Champions' category of Britain in Bloom for the next three years.

The honour is only bestowed on communities that have performed well in the Britain in Bloom campaign over a sustained period.

Falkland in Bloom secretary, Bert Allan, said: "The invitation to be included in this prestigious category of the Britain in Bloom campaign is certainly an honour.

"Although the exacting standards required will be demanding, we believe we can again depend on the support of everyone in the community to ensure we do well."

Bert explained that despite the name of the campaign, there is no reference to flowers in the judging criteria.

While the village would still be marked for floral effort under horticultural achievement, emphasis is also placed on environmental quality such as biodiversity, recycling and the management and development of the local heritage.

Bert added: "We were previously awarded a discretionary award in Britain in Bloom for community involvement, and this aspect continues to be important.

"Falkland in Bloom is always eager to hear from residents who would wish to help us with our many and varied projects and should they wish to volunteer; they are urged to get in touch via our website, www.falklandinbloom.com."

Judges from the Royal Horticultural Society will assess Falkland under a number of criteria.

The village will find out how they fared against the competition at an award ceremony in Torbay in September.