A CENTRE for disabled adults boasts a new wheelchair-accessible garden.

The green haven at the Westerhope Centre in Newcastle is the first bio-diversity project that Nature's Landscape - Newcastle City Council's social services gardening and landscaping team - has undertaken.

Users wanted a secure and accessible garden area that included a sensory area, a water feature and a shelter to protect visitors from the sun.

The project also provided training in dry stone walling for Nature's Landscape staff.

Westerhope Centre manger Steve Williams, said the garden made a significant difference to the centre.

"The main focus of this project was not only to meet the needs of the service users, but to enhance the bio-diversity of the area.

"Nature's Landscape took on the task of designing a garden which is fully accessible to wheelchair users. The team was very keen to provide a dry stone wall that would create a habitat for small wildlife, mammals and insects."

The bio-diversity plan promotes wildlife protection and enhancement to improve residents' quality of life.