GROWING your own fruit and vegetables is great fun!

That's the message more than 300 visitors were given by a team of enthusiasts at Haddocks Wood Allotment Association.

An open day on Sunday was a huge success, raising £340 for Halton Haven Hospice and a young girl who has cancer.

"It was an excellent day," said vice chairman Harold Thorley. "People who have problems in their gardens asked us for tips on how to grow certain vegetables."

Children were shown how to plant sunflower seeds and watch them grow. Pond dipping, led by park rangers, was popular with youngsters.

Face painting, plant sales, a tea room and a falconry display provided plenty of family fun.

"We have a lot of youngsters here growing their own vegetables," said Mr Thorley. "We feel if you can get the younger generation interested, it's great.

"It's taken a lot of hard work over the past five years to build this up into one of Halton's prime sites."

Special raised beds have been created for Halton Hospital patients to develop gardening skills as part of their occupational therapy.

Schools and charities Mind and Scope also have their own plots.

CCTV cameras, a disabled toilet and new roads have been installed to make the allotments more secure and accessible.