Sizzling time for residents in new-look garden

The garden, behind Roebuck Close on Blackburn's Galligreaves estate, had been neglected since it was created in 1993.

But thanks to a Grimewatch initiative, the garden is looking smarter than ever - and residents are getting ready to hold their first barbecue of the summer there.

The project was organised by the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's Grimewatch team and Blackburn with Darwen Council.

We asked readers to nominate grot spots around the borough - with the promise that we would pick one to clean up.

And as Grimewatch is about people taking responsibility for their local environment, anyone who nominated a site had to be able to provide at least four volunteers to help.

Annette Wallbank, of Roebuck Close, Blackburn, who is treasurer of the Galligreaves and District Community Association, nominated the community garden.

She said local people had helped build the garden in a day in 1993, with help from Groundwork and grants from BT and other organisations.

But since then, although the grass was cut regularly, the shrubs, bushes and footpaths had become badly overgrown. Annette and around 10 other adults, as well as several local children, joined Grimewatch co-ordinator Lynn Schofield for a day-long blitz on the site.

The council provided bin bags and a skip, which was soon filled with pulled-out weeds.

Volunteers also decided to redesign the site to make it easier to look after.

Annette said she was pleased so many people had come to help and added that it was hoped children from the local Tea-Time club would help maintain the site.

She said: "It got people out of their houses to help and that's what it's all about - bringing the community together."

Details of all the other grot spots nominated will be passed on to the relevant authorities to find out if anything can be done to improve them.

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