A Burnt Oak estate has been transformed this weekend thanks to a group of green fingered young people.

More than 40 young people from across Burnt Oak worked together across the weekend to tidy up the gardens of vulnerable people such as the elderly, disabled or single parents with young children in the North Road estate.

During the weekend they turned a weed-choked alleyway behind Deborah Lodge a community garden.

Youth worker Marcus Ottaviani, who organised the Noise project for the Burnt Oak Christian Fellowship, said how lovely it was young people had come from all parts of Burnt Oak, not just the North Road estate.

He added: “We gave out all the Brent Cross vouchers for the first 40 volunteers under 25, which shows how successful the event was. We had perfect weather, with rain on Friday to soften the ground, lovely sunny weather over the weekend and rain yesterday to water the plants.

“The volunteers worked very hard. Residents told me they didn’t feel safe walking down the alley before, they say the transformation is amazing.

“The garden project is part of the plan to make the estate a nice and safe place to live.”

Chairman of the North Road Community Association Elizabeth Chambers said how delighted she was with the transformation.

She added: “The young people did sterling work over the weekend. The event was very well run, it’s a great thing for children to do and it keeps them out of mischief.”

She added people on the estate had come up to her asking for advice on how to cultivate their own gardens, and said the community organisation would take over were the Noise project left off in maintaining the new garden.

The young people and their parents were treated to a community fun day in the field in East Road on Bank Holiday Monday to thank them for their work.

Visotiros were treated to a free barbeque and there was a bouncy castle, jumble sale, facepainting and a mad scientist who entertained the children.

Mr Ottaviani said: “Between 150 and 200 people came out for the fun day. It was nice to meet the parents of the children who helped out, especially those from the new youthclub in Watling Avenue.

“Little Muslim girls were running around with the children from the estate, so it was great for integration.

“It was really successful and I’d like to thank all the people who volunteered over the bank holiday weekend.”