COMMUNITY-MINDED gardening enthusiasts are enjoying the fruits of their labour after transforming a former nature site.

The former Nature’s World site in Acklam, Middlesbrough, closed in 2013 and soon got out of hand.

But the volunteers known as Friends of Nature’s World won permission from Middlesbrough Borough Council to restore the site to its former glory.

They were given a grant from Tees Valley Community Foundation to buy tools they needed to enable them to carry out an extensive clean up. After six months of hard work the group are enjoying the fruits of their hard work with ornamental gardens, meadowlands and flowerbeds in full bloom. Some wildlife species have returned, including herons and dragonflies.

Scarlet Pink from Friends of Nature’s World said: “When we started we had plenty of enthusiasm but no tools whatsoever and had to bring our own from home.”

The site is not yet open to members of the public but a Elves and Flower Fairies event is on Thursday, July 28. Find out more at handsonmiddlesbrough.org or email handsonmiddlesbroughfuture@gmail.com