YOUNGSTERS in East Bury used their "Ground Force" to help turn an eyesore into a community garden.

They designed a mural for the garden -- at 90 South Cross Street, Bury -- in memory of the late councillor Connie Fitzgerald.

It was opened on Saturday (June 19) by the Mayor of Bury, Coun Wilf Davison, in one of his last official duties.

Coun Fitzgerald died in April aged 72. She had represented Redvales ward for 12 years as a Labour councillor, and was Mayor of Bury in 1998/99.

Work on the backyard was done by members of the New Mosses Tenants and Residents Association, helped by Bury Council's library service, the Children's Fund and the East Bury Initiative Single Regeneration Budget (SRB).

Local children got the idea for the mural from books they had read with libraries outreach worker Jean Lonsdale and colleague Sajjad Mahmood. Working with community artist Tina Foran, they turned a bare brick wall into a picture called Connie's Garden.

Jean said: "The house, which is home to a dual language community library, had until recently looked out onto a disaster of a backyard but everything has changed now.

"The broken flags have been replaced and brick-raised bed planters have been built to enable the library users and local people to grow their own plants and flowers. It is even a possibility that the Asian Women's Group may use them for growing herbs for cooking.

"Meanwhile the mural is a lovely tribute to the late Councillor Connie Fitzgerald who was greatly loved by all the children who used the library." The scheme received a considerable donation from Lancashire Stone Cutters in Ramsbottom towards the cost of a memorial stone. Lancashire Stone Cutters have regularly supported library outreach work for children's reading and play activities.