A FREE gardening service to help vulnerable council tenants is to continue.

Derwentside District Council's executive has approved a £60,000 grant to keep two workers.

They will take care of gardens belonging to tenants in north-west Durham who are elderly, infirm or disabled.

Councillor Jean Huntley said: "This is an opportunity to put pride back into our communities across the district."

The scheme was set up in September last year, dealing with 119 gardens belonging to tenants aged over 60.

It aims to counter the negative impact that overgrown and poorly maintained gardens have on estates. It also seeks to relieve the stress of tenants worried about breaking their contract with the council, which state that gardens on council properties must be kept tidy.

The extra cash will give the project the chance to expand and cover 269 properties, which will be maintained on a six-week cycle.

A further review of the service is due in October.

Coun Alex Watson, leader of the council, said: "The environment is extremely important to neighbourhoods and the quality of life of residents.

"A lot of people have inherited quite huge gardens as a legacy from the mining era and some simply cannot look after them.

"It is a service that people have been crying out for, and it won't cost them a penny."