A FLORIST from Somerset has come third in a national competition.

Gemma Thresher, who has been a professional florist for three years, represented the South-West in the final of the Interflora Florist of the Future competition.

She competed against six other regional winners from across the UK and Ireland at the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show and wowed the judges with her innovation and originality.

Gemma created three key pieces under the pressure of timed conditions and in front of a live audience of show visitors – a free-standing floral screen, a floral cake and a hand-tie as her surprise item.

She said: “I really enjoyed the timed conditions of the surprise item, too.

“Through all my items I have tried to capture a flavour of all the decades to mark Interflora’s anniversary year, but I love the colours and styles of the 1920s and so those influences were particularly apparent in my work.

“The whole competition has been a fantastic experience.”

David Pollard, owner of the Orange Pip in Wiliton, where Gemma works, said: “All of us here are extremely proud of Gemma.

“This is a real achievement and an endorsement of her incredibly floral talent.

“We are very fortunate to have Gemma working with us here.”