Terry Walton supporters help fix fire-hit greenhouse

BBC Radio Two gardening guru Terry Walton said he has been overwhelmed by the generosity and support of people since his greenhouse burned down.

He received offers of help, replacement equipment, plants and seedlings after the "inferno" in his back garden at Tonyrefail, Rhondda Cynon Taff.

He is well known for broadcasting from his allotment on Jeremy Vine's show.

Mr Walton had been using a heater to protect his vegetables from frost when it caused the fire two weeks ago.

Since then, a glazing firm supplied replacement glass for the frame and a local glazier fitted it out.

Other local people, including a police officer, also provided seed trays, tomato plants and seedlings such as onions, peppers and chillies.

Up and running again... Terry with his newly restored greenhouse in his garden

And a crate of beer turned up on his doorstep, presumably to help "drown my sorrows", he joked. But he was not down for long.

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"Parcels started turning up out of the blue," said Mr Walton, 73.

"I was overwhelmed with the numbers of people helping out."

A neighbour had raised the alarm, using a garden hose to extinguish the flames.

Only the aluminium frame survived among the "charred mess"

Mr Walton believes the fire was caused by plastics such as seed trays catching alight, wrecking tomato plants and onion seedlings which were being prepared in his garden for his allotment, about five miles from his home.

"It was a charred mess," Mr Walton said. "But then help started coming from everywhere.

"I couldn't believe there was so much love and care out there."