SCHOOLBOY Mohammed Patel has snaked his way to success by designing a garden based on a popular children's board game.

Mohammed, aged 11, picked his favourite game - snakes and ladders - as a basis for his garden design.

His plan impressed judges and earned him first prize in a national competition.

And the garden he designed has now been created and will be featured over the next four days at the annual Southport Flower Show.

Mohammed, a pupil of Bolton's Valley Community School, will also meet wildlife and nature guru David Bellamy.

Professional landscape designers have created his garden with chequered blue and white paving stones to signify the board.

The snake takes the form of a giant swirling water feature that stretches from one end of the game to the other.

It resembles a fast flowing river with a fountain and pond at the mouth of the reptile.

Large wooden ladders have also been positioned in the garden with oversized die acting as giant seats and topiary plants for decoration.

Mohammed will also receive £500 for the school to be spent on playground equipment, £50 worth of vouchers and a board game for himself.

Alison Mangan, Mohammed's teacher at The Valley Community School, said: "We are delighted he has won this prize. All of the children worked really hard on their designs and we are really looking forward to seeing the finished design at the show."

Children across the North-west were challenged to design a garden based on a board game to celebrate childhood games to celebrate this year's 75th show.

This year's four-day show takes place at Victoria Park from today until Sunday with more than 100,000 visitors expected.

Judy Haselhurst, of the Southport Flower Show, said: "The designs were of a really high standard but Mohammed's design was really ingenious with the creation of a snaking water feature as the centrepiece and the use of bold primary colours in the landscape."