Community can enjoy the fruits of youngsters' labour

An allotment, created on an overgrown patch of land by teenagers, will be opened by Houghton and Washington MP Fraser Kemp, on Friday, at 10.45am.

The garden is the culmination of months of hard work by 32 youngsters, aged 13 upwards, from across the former Durham coalfield area, overseen by the children and young people's charity, Barnardo's.

All those involved attend a Barnardo's project at The Hive, in Queensway, Houghton-le-Spring.

A plot measuring about a quarter of an acre, was identified on Seaham Road Allotments last summer.

The youngsters came up with the idea to create an allotment.

They drew up plans for the site and took part in a poster competition to publicise the scheme.

Over the winter, local people and contractors helped get the site ready for fruit, vegetables and flowers to be grown. Footpaths and a grass area were laid and raised beds were built.

The young people then began working on the site, taking part in activities including sowing seeds and making willow hurdle fences.

Produce grown at the site will include raspberries, strawberries, potatoes, beetroot, onions and herbs.

Barnardo's worker Audrey Bewick, who is based at The Hive, said: "Basically, it was a piece of overgrown land, but with a lot of hard work and enthusiasm it has completely turned round.

"We're ready to launch now as the weather is so fine that everything is starting to grow."

"We will eat some of the produce but we also have plans to give lots away to older members of the community.

"Eventually, we may run it as a co-operative to sell the produce and put all the money back into the allotment."

Mrs Bewick paid tribute to all those who had helped the team, particularly local businessman Wilf Husband, who lives next to the site and helped with some of the physical work.

"The young people have also got really into this by bringing in their own things, to develop compost bins, and make bird boxes and willow fences," Mrs Bewick said.