TEN volunteers from Thirsk gave up their own time to press ahead with work on a sensory garden at a specialist centre for young people with autism.

The new garden – where all the plants will be edible - will provide a safe and relaxing sensory space for students as part of the Starting Point centre at Henshaw’s College in Harrogate.

The volunteers, who are mostly based at the Thirsk office of global food and agricultural company Cargill, put in six hours of hard graft to help the garden to take shape.

They put up new perimeter fencing, erected a wooden gazebo and also filled some of the garden’s raised beds with compost.

The garden has been designed using guidelines from the National Autistic Society to ensure it meets the needs of students who may be diagnosed with autism, or have similar characteristics along with wider additional needs.

Specialist features will include a safe surface play area with a swing for students who are sensory seekers and enjoy the motion of rocking backwards and forwards, covered seating areas to create sheltered safe spaces and level paths and ramps for accessibility.

The garden will also be fitted with artificial turf and lights so students can enjoy the maximum use of it throughout the year and it is hoped it will be ready for students by the summer term.