A PUBLIC-spirited resident who has transformed an open space in to a blooming beautiful community garden has been rewarded for his endeavour.

Joe Hickson, of Chestnut Grove, Brotton, has been chosen as the winner of Coast and Country's annual best garden competition.

As a result, his hard work has been rewarded with £100 in vouchers, a trophy and certificate, which were presented by the housing groups Chief Executive Iain Sim.

He said: "Mr Hickson was a clear winner. He truly deserves to be applauded for the creativity and hard work he has put in to transforming a grassed area into a wonderfully idyllic setting that the areas residents can all enjoy."

Mr Hickson has created a garden, which is environmentally-friendly, makes the maximum use of the space, is planted with a colourful array of plants and flowers and which demonstrates a high standard of gardening knowledge and skill.

Its features include bird tables, a dovecote, breeding boxes for birds and bats, a planted pond, flowering shrubs as well as a wildlife area that is a haven for an array of insects.