A STUDENT at Enfield's Capel Manor has secured a gold medal at this year's RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

Wendy Allen was the inaugural winner in the show's first ever Best Sustainable Garden category with The Rain Chain, which depicted an urban front garden set in a flood risk zone to show how flash flooding could be reduced.

The garden, built with the voluntary help of Mrs Allen's fellow students, earned particular praise for its planting during the event, which ran between July 7 and 12.

Mrs Allen, 37, of Dean Road, Brent, said: "Hearing the judges say that the planting was some of the best in the show this year was a great confidence boost.”

She paid tribute to the college, in Bullsmoor Lane, Enfield, adding: "Credit should go to Capel Manor's Plants and Planting Design course tutors and syllabus for helping me achieve that standard. I doubt I could have done it a year ago."

The sustainable timber used in the garden has since been recycled into a summer house for Westgate Joinery in West Sussex, which co-sponsored the piece.

The Rain Chain was Miss Allen's second design at an RHS show, following last year's bronze medal-winning Breathing Space ... Thinking Space, co-designed with Catherine Kenny for the Samaritans.