GARDENERS at Oswaldtwistle welcomed the team from BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time - 26 years after they invited them.

Oswaldtwistle Civic Society originally wrote to the BBC in August 1972, and the Gardeners' Question Time team have at last visited Accrington Town Hall to record two editions of the long running programme.

The first programme featured questions from Oswaldtwistle Civic Society, and the second featured questions from Hyndburn council employees. There were 12 questions per programme and 300 people attended the recording.

Producer Trevor Taylor said: "It is tremendous that the Civic Society have remained so loyal and patient.

"Our waiting list for visits is long and with the whole of the UK to cover it can take a long while before a group's invitation reaches the top of the list. However we were delighted to visit Accrington and made the 26 year wait worthwhile."

Gardeners' Question Time started 52 years ago and has been on the air ever since.

The first programme, with questions from the civic society, will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 (198 LW 92-94 VHF) on Sunday May 2 at 2pm, repeated on Wednesday May 5 at 3pm.

The second programme, featuring questions from Hyndburn Council employees, will be broadcast on Sunday June 6 at 2pm, repeated on Wednesday June 9 at 3pm.

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