GREEN-FINGERED volunteers in Erskine want to give a neglected patch of land a new lease of life as a community garden.

The area, known locally as “Mrs White’s”, is near St Anne’s Primary School and used to be a walled garden for a mansion house before it was knocked down in the 1940s.

It then became home to Mrs White’s nursery, which shut around 25 years ago.

Since then it has become overgrown and disused but a committee has now been formed to transform it into a place residents can enjoy watching wildlife, learning about the environment and savouring some good-old peace and quiet.

Committee member Heather Clissett said: “We have gained some great support from businesses and schools and are meeting with the council soon to discuss the lease of the land.

“We hope it will be used by residents to grow vegetables and do gardening and there will be a memorial space too where events can be held for Armistice Day and other awareness days.

“We also hope children will use it to learn more about wildlife and the RSPB has shown interest in the area to help us discover how to attract more wildlife to it.”

It is thought the garden would be split into four areas made up of a quiet memorial space, an outdoor classroom for schools to use, a growing patch for fruit and vegetables and an area for encouraging more wildlife.

It is even hoped there will be a “fairy village” in the garden to encourage youngsters to learn more about nature.

Artist Steve Blackmore is set to design some artwork for this which will go in place of some heavily-graffitied walls.

The committee will also be starting its autumn litter picks around the town to keep the community tidy and promote the garden.

If anyone would like to find out more about these visit www.erskinememorialgarden.co.uk.