Former agricultural students preparing to dig for victory

TWO former students from a Lothians agricultural college are preparing to dig, plant and build for victory as they represent Scotland in the final of a national competition to find Britain's best young landscaping workers.

Former Oatridge College students Ryan Love, 21, from Livingston and Rab Stewart, 19, from Fauldhouse were first and second in the Scottish heat of the UK Skills Landscape Gardening Construction Challenge at the Gardening Scotland Show in Edinburgh.

They had studied together for a Certificate in Landscape Construction and Design and both are planning to set up their own businesses.

Later this week they will travel to Malvern near Worcester to face six other regional winners over two gruelling days when they will be expected to create a garden from scratch.

The event is organised by the British Association of Landscape Industry (BALI) and will be a feature of the Malvern Autumn Show on September 25 and 26.