Okehampton residents were treated to the opening of a newly-renovated allotment plot after a four-year renovation when the Okehampton United Charities agreed to fund the work.

The opening ceremony this month signalled the end of four years hard work by allotment owners and members of the Okehampton United Charities.

The celebration included the planting of a variety of apple tree known as Red Windsor, which was specially chosen to honour the Queen for her 70 years of service to the country.

John Mills, who helped construct the new plant beds, said: ‘We started this project four years ago and the ecclesiastical charity gave us money to rebuild the garden. The repair of the garden wall which is 55 metres long took a year. We completed that with the help of another allotment owner. He has been wonderful and helped throughout the project.

‘I was involved with developing the garden. I planted all the grass seeds and got the garden ready for the flower beds.

‘We had plans for the shed which was built with gifted materials that were left on building sites that no one wanted to use and we were gifted the roof.’

Alongside the plots, the allotment now includes a communal space, and a meeting room which was opened by Okehampton Town Councillor Christine Marsh.

She said: ‘It was lovely and they had done a really good job. I planted the apple tree and I thought the name Red Windsor was very appropriate.’

The new communal allotment also includes a watering system which pumps water straight from the river and a communal kitchen in the meeting room.

Okehampton’s allotments have proven to be very popular in the past and there are currently 40 families on the waiting list for an allotment.

Mr Mills said their popularity made it more important than ever for allotment trustees to keep them in good condition.

‘Ninety-nine per cent of people are on top of it,’ he said. ‘I had to give up my allotment - I’d had it for 26 years - but I enjoy going down there and doing what I can.’

Okehampton United Charities is a local charity that supports local organisations.