LIFE is rosy for Nicola Roberton after she ditched a job in PR to realise her lifelong dream of being a flower arranger.

The mum-of-two, who used to make tiny bouquets from wildflowers as she walked to school in Kennington, has been shortlisted in the UK Wedding Awards for the title of the UK's Best Wedding Florist 2017.

But it all comes down to a public vote and she has asked readers to champion her business before the deadline this week.

Mrs Roberton, who lives with her husband, son and daughter in Letcombe Bassett near Wantage, said: "I'm not normally a big competition enterer, but I thought it would be good for my confidence.

"For me it is a lifelong passion so it would be amazing to be recognise for doing it well."

Mrs Roberton only set up her business Foxgloves and Roses six years ago but has already beautified 100 weddings.

After going to St Swithun's primary in Kennington, where her parents Brian and Diane Moss still live, she went to Matthew Arnold School in Botley.

Though she was always arty, she was encouraged to focus on something more serious and worked at a London PR firm, but still dreamed of becoming a florist.

When she married David the couple moved back to Oxfordshire to raise their children and Mrs Roberton quit her city job.

With a little more free time on her hands, she started growing flowers in the garden.

She said: "I was digging up the lawn to grow more and more, then I started selling little bunches by the garden gate."

When she started selling the cottage garden arrangements to other mums at the school, word rapidly spread and she was soon asked to do her first wedding.

People fell in love with her natural style using seasonal flowers from her own garden in organic arrangements incorporating twigs and berries.

She said: "After a couple of years doing weddings, I just said 'I'm actually going to take the plunge'."

As more people began to fall for Mrs Roberton's floral flair, she realised there were few jobs more rewarding than helping a happy couple plan their big day.

She said: "You get to know people at a very happy time in their life and every wedding is completely different – that's one of the wonderful things - I've never done the same thing twice."

The UK Wedding Awards are sponsored by wedding planning firm Hitched; the Perfect Wedding website and youandyourwedding.co.uk

The deadline for nominations is midnight on Thursday and you can vote online at hitched.co.uk/awards