OVERWHELMED staff at a maternity unit have praised the efforts of volunteers after an unloved garden was transformed into a beautiful space for expectant mothers to relax.

Staff at the maternity department in Colchester General Hospital had been fundraising to bring the garden to life for more than a year.

A team had been working hard to put on cake sales and host open evenings to raise the necessary cash, but had fallen short of their target.

Last month, supermarket giant Tesco announced a team of 60 volunteers would carry out the work for free, together with Wyevale Garden Centre, in Stanway.

The crew successfully completed the garden. Teri Gavin-James, senior midwife at the hospital, said: “We are all so pleased with the result, overwhelmed really.

“Happiness doesn’t do it justice. It is a great example of how two organisations, Tesco and Wyevale, can achieve a huge amount with teamwork.

“Sixty people working in one garden could have been chaos, but it was massively organised.

“They split into four teams and they clearly had a plan. After starting at 9am they had pretty much completed it by 2.30pm. It looks even better than I expected.

“Wyevale are the experts on this sort of thing and they clearly understood the brief of a calming garden for woman in labour.

“There are wind chimes, plants which release nice fragrances and secluded seating areas.”

Jo Clarke, Tesco Community Champion, said: “It just shows how great our community is.

“In hard times we can come together as businesses and help out, it is so rewarding to give something back.

“I would like to add a huge thank you to Stanway Wyevale Garden centre for their amazing support and generosity, without them this project would not have been possible.”

The garden includes a water feature, seating, lighting and an array of plants.