Host parish St Helier enters Battle of Flowers float

The Battle of Flowers grand parade will be held on Thursday 12 August

The parish of St Helier is entering a float in Jersey's Battle of Flowers for the first time in eight years.

The team entering the float has also decided that all the blooms used will be grown in Jersey.

St Helier deputy, Debbie De Souza, said she believed it was important for St Helier, which is hosting the August event, to take part.

The Battle of Flowers is one of Jersey's biggest tourism events, attracting 30,000 spectators each year.

Ms De Souza said using home-grown flowers, rather than imported ones from abroad, was not only more traditional but would also reduce the carbon footprint.

"We thought it would be really nice to look at it from a green point of view," she told BBC News.