An independent shop selling greetings cards, gifts and balloons has won a national award for its community street art programme.

The Comet: Some of the seaside-themed bottle top artwork which helped Cardies win the national award. Picture: Eddie MacDonald.Some of the seaside-themed bottle top artwork which helped Cardies win the national award. Picture: Eddie MacDonald. (Image: eddiemacdonald)

Cardies in Stevenage High Street began the programme with a stunning display of poppies for the First World War centenary and has subsequently gone on to produce the likes of an environmental awareness project of seaside pictures made from bottle tops.

Cardies has won Best Greeting Card Retailer Initiative at the Retas Greeting Card Retail Awards 2019 for its artwork.

Co-owner Jo Sorrell said: "The Retas are the Oscars of the greetings cards world, so it's very special.

"We are very proud and lucky to have won such a prestigious award, but it's also extra special because it was for our street art programme, which our community took part in helping to create.

"A really huge thank you to you all for joining in."