MOVED by an arson attack that damaged allotments operated by The Bridge Project in Gorleston, Great Yarmouth Borough Council staff and the public rallied together to help get the plots back up and running.

A brown bin was placed in the Town Hall reception in April, where members of the public and staff dropped off unwanted garden tools and equipment. Staff were also given the opportunity to pay �1 to wear casual clothing to work with the funds going to the project.

Bridge Project representatives came to the Town Hall on Tuesday to receive a brown bin’s worth of pots, seeds, shears and other equipment, alongside �21 from staff who chose to dress down for the day.

The council’s rallying cry to the public to help the project also saw offers of equipment made directly to the group, including a large greenhouse.

Borough Council deputy managing director Jane Ratcliffe said: “An act of mindless vandalism has ruined the hard work and enjoyment of the volunteers that use the allotment to produce food for weekly lunches at the Bridge drop-in centre at St Mary Magdalene Church Hall.

“Staff at the Borough Council wanted to show the Bridge Project support and I hope the equipment that we have collected will help the project to overcome their set-back and go from strength to strength.”