GARDENING enthusiast Tim Butler refused to let fighting cancer prevent him from winning an award in this year’s Oxford in Bloom competition.

The cleaning supervisor was diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago and has had two operations this year.

The 61-year-old from Headington, Oxford, has also received chemotherapy treatment.

But with the help of his wife Margaret, 59, Mr Butler won the Outstanding Effort trophy in this year’s contest, which featured more than 600 entries from across the city.

Now he has his sights set on next year’s contest.

The father-of-two, from Green Ridges, made sure Mrs Butler watered the flowers, lovingly tending to his pride and joys, while he was receiving chemotherapy at the Churchill Hospital. It proved to be a winning piece of teamwork.

He said: “I have had operations on both lungs and chemotherapy, so I haven’t been able to do as much as I would have liked in the garden.

“But Margaret has kept things going for me – and both our names are on the trophy. We are surprised and delighted to have won.

“If you are not careful, cancer – or any other form of illness – can control and even take over your life.

“I enjoy my gardening and found this was a great way of forgetting any other problems.

“I think it is essential that Oxford In Bloom continues to support and encourage people not so able to get up and have a go. Winning the award really bucked me up and I cannot wait to take part in the competition next year.”

Mr and Mrs Butler have two daughters, Louise, 41, and Jane, 39, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mrs Butler said: “We live in a two-bedroom flat and have a small front garden and a small back garden.

“We planted lots of flowers in the front, including dahlias, busy lizzies, begonias and fuchsias, and we also have hanging baskets.

“This is the third year we have entered the contest and we have previously been highly commended in the best kept small front garden category.

“Tim wasn’t well enough to attend the awards ceremony last month, so we only found out we had won when a chap from the competition brought the award round last week.”

She added: “Tim has had three operations in the past two years but he still works hard in the garden when he can.”

Oxford in Bloom is run by Oxford City Council’s parks department and is backed by the Oxford Mail.

The prize giving took place at the Roman Way Sports and Social Club.

Oxford’s Lord Mayor Mary Clarkson, who handed out the trophies at the awards, said: “I am so pleased for Mr and Mrs Butler. It must have been extremely difficult for them to continue tending to their garden through this difficult period.”