WILLITON florist Gemma Thresher's winning way with flowers has secured her a place in the finals of a competition that will be played out at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show.

The 25-year-old, who works for Jones greengrocers, is in the running for the title of the RHS Chelsea Young Florist of the Year after submitting the highest scoring display in a regional qualifying heat in Bristol on Tuesday night.

The competition is run by the Royal Horticultural Society in partnership with the British Florist Association and the finalists will compete for the top trophy at next year's Chelsea Flower Show.

Gemma, who lives in Minehead, is a qualified florist with four years of study under her belt and has just achieved her level three floristry qualification.

Her background was in art and textiles, which she studied at A level at the West Somerset Community College in Minehead before going on to an art foundation degree at the Somerset College in Taunton.

It was there that she decided to branch out in floristry and has been using her talents at Jones for the last 18 months, after a number of years working freelance.

The challenge thrown down to all the would-be regional qualifiers was to design a table centrepiece arrangement for a formal dinner for UK competitors at the Olympic Games.

Gemma scored 91 out of 100 and won praise for her four-foot high creation, which featured a papier mache torch, the Olympic rings, a Union Jack and flowers including cala lilies, roses, natun, orange peppercorns and dyed strelitzia.

And as a first-timer in the world of floristry competitions, she admitted that she was shocked and amazed to have been named the top scorer.

"I honestly didn't think I would win," she said. "But obviously I'm really pleased, although scared at the prospect of the finals at Chelsea."

Gemma and other hopefuls from the seven regional qualifiers will not be told the specification or theme of the arrangement they will have to create until six to eight weeks before the show in May.

"I know I'm going to be up against some tough competition but I can't really do anything until I know what we have to do," she said. "It's exciting but quite scary."

Photo: Steve Guscott