I HOPE the driver of the open top bus who drove the East Midlands In Bloom judges around the resort didn't inadvertently drive them along the North Promenade.

They would have seen the tastefully boarded-up toilets complete with its roof garden of assorted weeds, the building next to Wonderland with its broken windows and artistic graffiti and, of course, Wonderland itself.

The very name Wonderland would lead an unsuspecting visitor to make a special detour to see what was wonderful only to find a giant tin hut. An infringement of the Trade Description Act or what?

Then, of course, there's the mini "fun fair" on the beach itself with its loudspeakers blaring highly distorted music from a bygone era for the benefit of the few who want to hear it and the many who don't.

This pathetic assortment of scrap metal should have been recycled via Scunthorpe's blast furnaces many years ago.

Thankfully, all the judges in the Grimsby Telegraph's recent photo had their backs to "The Establishment" and didn't notice it.

This pub is almost as badly named as Wonderland. I mean it's changed names more often than David Beckham has changed his hairstyle.

Perhaps a more suitable name would be "The Shed" in keeping with its drab brown and black exterior reminiscent of such buildings.

In practice, of course, the bus route will have been carefully orchestrated to avoid these eyesores and to allow the judges to concentrate on the resort's fantastic floral displays and its many fine features.

The eyesores I've mentioned may be amongst the first buildings visitors new to the town see when they first arrive and, of course, first impressions count, so shame on those responsible for them.

Congratulations to Bob Callison and his team for all their hard work in creating beautiful floral displays throughout most of the town and in encouraging others to do so, making Cleethorpes a serious contender in the East Midlands In Bloom contest.

It's just a pity some of their enthusiasm didn't find its way along the North Promenade.

Niels Volland, Mendip Avenue, Grimsby.

After the visit by judges from the East Midlands In Bloom committee, I would like to say a very big thank you to everyone for all the efforts and hard work that has been put into the Immingham In Bloom campaign.

This has been a team effort by all the community and businesses to bring back pride into Immingham.

On behalf of the committee, I would like to express our thanks to all the grounds maintenance team of North East Lincolnshire Council, all the staff from Immingham Town Council, and all the sponsors who came together to make it possible.

I do sincerely believe that Immingham has never looked this good and I hope that it continues.

The birth of Immingham In Bloom only started approximately nine months ago with a small group of people determined to make Immingham a more attractive place for the community.

It did not take very long before you, the residents, realised just how serious and dedicated we were about Immingham and a committee was formed to progress the campaign, culminating in the official launch at the Civic Centre in March.

To have reached the standard that we have in such a short space of time is testimony to all the hard work that the committee and residents have put into this campaign.

I and the rest of the committee look forward to the results ceremony in September with hope that we will have some positive comments back from the judges that will give us the drive to improve even further next year.

Stewart Swinburn, chairman Immingham In Bloom committee.

I WOULD like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped with the Grimsby In Bloom campaign for 2009-2010, culminating in the East Midlands In Bloom judging tour last week.

The community have proved once again how fantastic they are and we really cannot thank them enough.

Although we would love to win the regional competition again this year, just as we did with our first-time entry in 2009, it really wouldn't matter if we don't.

The community has flourished and grown together over the last year in more ways we could ever have imagined ... that fact is so much more important to us than winning competitions.

I would like to thank the following and please accept my apologies if I've missed anyone off; the Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Norma Lincoln; Councillor Stephen Hocknell; Pam Pollard and everyone at Cables Taxis; Lynne McPherson, Youth Offenders Service; Jenny Hodson, VANEL; Jennifer Lince, GIB Photographer in Residence; Darren Osgothorpe, GIB Photographer in Residence; Bryan Ramsden, Beetenson and Gibbon; Melanie Oglesby, NELC; Alan Sanders, Abbeygate Developments; Dave Ranshaw, Grimsby Town Centre Forum; Jo Middleton, Grimsby Minster; Moira Galloway, Grimsby Flower Lovers; Joycie Williams, Bullock & GIB Poet in Residence; Students from Whitgift School; Neil Stamp and residents from the Salvation Army; Sarah Wright, People's Park manager; Dave Lilley, tutor, GIFHE; Pat Hooten and residents from Matthew Quinn House; Trevor, Carol Harrison and residents, Chelmsford Avenue Neighbourhood Action Group; Chris Pulford, NELC; Alec Leonard, Friends of Kingston Gardens; Andy Hartley, NELC; John Moran, community warden, NELC; The Turner Family, Allenby Avenue; Jenny Fox, NELCTP; Sarah Harvey, NELCTP; Cara Beadle, allotment project officer, NELC; Claire Cottingham and centre users, Cromwell Road Resource Centre; Mike Sleight, ecology officer, NELC; Janice Woods and staff at Queensway Children's Centre; Sharon Hunt, Newlincs; Joanne Boardman, NELC; Councillor Peggy Elliott; Councillor Cliff Barber; Ian Riggall and Sharon Carpenter, Sambalada; members of the Willows Community Gardening Group.

The help given to this year's campaign by Grimsby Telegraph staff was also invaluable.

Reporter Peter Craig spent many hours filming and producing a wonderful 10-minute film, which was shown to the judges before the tour as well as spending the morning travelling along the route on the day, with colleagues Faye Preston and Abby Ruston.

With extra special thanks to all the GIB committee members who played a large part on the day; Michelle Lalor, Grimsby Telegraph; Elaine Atkinson, GIFHE; Alan Fletcher, NELC; Lee Beckett, NELC; Pauline Lee, Civic Society; Carole Wilson, Chelmsford Avenue Neighbourhood Action Group; Geoff Maggs, North East Lincs Lions; Nigel Frow, Grimsby Rotary Club and Jane Hyldon-King.

Many thanks also to the whole Willows community for the use of Bishop Edward King Community Centre.

Jacquie Brown, honorary secretary, Grimsby In Bloom.

The Telegraph says

The colourful floral scenes across our borough really lift the spirit and are a credit to all involved. Just imagine how drab any of it would look without a single flower– doesn't bear thinking about.