GREEN-FINGERED gardeners are getting their hands dirty at one of 28 newlyopened allotment plots.

The £26,000 vegetable patches, at Lingfield Farm, in Middlesbrough, have all been let and first crops planted.

There is already a waiting list for the plots, paid for by Healthy Towns funding.

Simon Blenkinsop, parks support manager, said: "It is great to see such demand for the new plots in Coulby Newham.

"People are rolling their sleeves up and really getting involved in growing their own, which is great to see.

"It is a lot of fun, really good exercise and children get a lot of fresh air while doing it.

"There is already a waiting list for the site, which shows the demand for allotments in Middlesbrough continues to be really strong."

Middlesbrough was given Healthy Town status in December 2008 and awarded more than £9m to encourage play, create urban farming schemes, develop travel initiatives and youth fitness.

The programme, which ended in March, has been run by Middlesbrough Council and NHS Middlesbrough.

In total, Healthy Town funding has created 50 allotment plots across four sites in the town.