GARDENERS have seen the fruits of their labour pay off after sprucing up the area they live in.

Members of the Grape Lane gardening group in Durham City created floral borders and removed ivy from a stone wall, which has improved access to burial headstones.

The volunteers also cleared away litter and debris and cut back overgrown vegetation.

Planters will be installed in the future, with residents planning to use flowers grown in their own allotment to fill them.

Now their work has been officially recognised as the project has been put forward for the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) It’s Your Neighbourhood competition and the county council’s Beautiful Durham contest to be judged in the coming months.

It will also count towards Durham City’s bid for gold in both the regional Northumbria in Bloom and national Britain in Bloom competitions.

The project was supported by Durham County Council, Durham Constabulary and staff from Durham City Homes and funded by local councillors Richard Ormerod and David Freeman from their members’ initiative budgets.

Dean Henry, the council’s Civic Pride officer who organised the Grape Lane scheme, said: “The event proved a massive success by bringing together local residents and partners whose hard work has helped make the area look great.

“We would like to thank everyone who took part, in particular the residents who have worked incredibly hard and will continue to maintain the floral borders and planters in future.”