Aldwick's Diamond Jubilee Garden opened

More than a hundred residents of all ages turned out to mark the occasion.

The adults and children were given flags to wave as MP Nick Gibb cut a Union flag ribbon to officially declare the site open.

Mr Gibb, the MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, met Rose Green Infant School’s eco-warriors who had played a large part in the creating the garden at the allotments in Halnaker Gardens.

He presented a certificate to Fenton McNally for his outstanding garden design. Julie Holloway, the headteacher, and Caroline Sugden received a certificate on behalf of the eco-warriors.

The eco-warriors also showed Mr Gibb the plants in the garden and their ideas about improving the site further.

Two further certificates were handed out. One went to garden designer Cherry Burton for taking the ideas submitted from the eco-warriors and incorporating them into the finished garden.

Jim Bryde, from gardening contractor, ISS, received the other for the landscaping work carried out.

The garden’s creation was the idea of Willowhale Farm Residents’ Association and the landowner, the Places for People social housing group.

Residents’ association joint founder John Bass said: “The garden has a Sussex-style fence, freshly laid turg, a rockery, planted borders, seats, a bird bath and feeders.

“It was festooned with bunting and red, white and blue balloons for the opening, with a jubilee poster on the fence and a white number 60 attached to the gate.

“All those that came on the day were very impressed with this community project and said it enhanced the area and had made a big difference to it.”

He and Sandra Levallee, a neighbourhood officer of Places for People, told those present the ceremony was the result of three years’ work.

This had seen a disused area seen for fly-tipping and involved emptying and filling in old stagnant fish breeding ponds and the removal of more than 40 leylandii trees which had taken over the site.

The work involved a huge community effort with a host of organisations, companies and individuals helping out.