A FISHGUARD florist is celebrating a blooming marvellous victory after being voted florist of the year for the south west region at the Welsh Wedding Awards.

Allison Phillips at the Flower garden, Fishguard, was nominated for the award by a mystery customer. The first she heard of it was when the event organisers contacted her to say that her name had been put forward.

Allison then had to send in supporting documents and information and encourage her customers to give her their vote.

She was delighted to be named as a finalist and be invited to the awards ceremony at the Exchange Hotel, Cardiff, on February 20.

"We hadn't been to anything like that before," said Allison. "We just went for the experience we weren't expecting to win at all.

"I was gob-smacked when they called out my name. It was so exciting. A real night to remember.

Allison became a florist after starting out on a YTS apprenticeship and has been at her shop in High Street for the last 16 years.

A lot of Allison's work is producing flowers for weddings.

"It's quite stressful but nice when it all comes together," she said. "When they are pleased that makes all the difference."

She still doesn't know who nominated her for the award.

"I'd just like to say to them, just thank you so much for giving us this opportunity and for nominating us. It means a lot. We are such a little place to get nominated in the first place is amazing. It's brilliant."