A SELF-STYLED “grannies army” has started to transform a neighbourhood eyesore into a community garden.

The group have been given permission to clear and plant flowers and bushes on land behind Railway View in Mill Hill.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The Grannies’ Army has been formed after the success of a similar garden project on Speedwell Street, also in Mill Hill.

Working on the garden has been labour of love for community volunteer Eleanor Sutcliffe, 74, who spent around three years improving the communal area at the bottom of her street.

Now she has set herself a new challenge.

She said: “We’ve been given the go ahead from the landowner to use use a section near Railway View and have begun clearing it.

“We will be planting daffodils and crocuses this month so hopefully people will be able to see a splash of colour by spring.

“There’s around half-a-dozen of us at the moment but if it’s anything like the previous project more and more people will help once they see the work being done.”

Among the volunteers are Teresa Henry, 72, who also maintains the church gardens at nearby St Peter’s Church and Ann-Marie Tully, who has been rounding up volunteers to do some of the clearing work.”

Eleanor said: “We’ve had a lady from Whalley who has donated surplus plants from her own garden and at Speedwell Street there was also someone who came along in secret to plant a variety of shrubs.

“A mother came up to me last week and said she was glad we were doing something with the area because at the moment she won’t allow her children near the area to play.

“Hopefully in the coming months we can make it a more welcoming and bright place for the whole community.”