A GARDEN centre has been recognised as the best of British after it played host to a group of more than 100 American garden centre owners.

Bents, a family-run business in Glazebury, near Leigh, is one of only 10 garden centres of excellence in the country.

The tour is an annual event which takes in a trade show and culminates in a visit to a garden centre. Organised by garden consultant Ian Baldwin, who was born in Darwen but now lives in California, the visit to Bents was the first to a garden centre in the North of England.

Debbie Bergquist, of Green Arrow Nursery in Los Angeles, said: "Bents is a phenomenal garden centre with some great ideas. It is very inspiring and takes the garden centre business to another level. I will definitely be taking some ideas back to the US."

The 100-strong group was taken on a guided tour of the centre by owner and managing director Ron Bent.

During the tour, the visitors learnt about the centre's history, from its roots as rose growers in the 1930s to today's operation which employs more than 200 staff.

The tour was followed by a number of presentations before the Mayor of Warrington officially welcomed the guests.

Mr Bent said: "We're obviously delighted to have been chosen by Ian to host this visit, but the longstanding history the area has with America makes it even more special.

"Not only will our American friends go home having learnt more about Bents and the way we operate, but they've also had the opportunity to see a place which was home to a large number of their fellow countrymen who fought in the second world war."