Flower power sees Wisbech alleyway transformed

A town centre alleyway has been transformed from dingy to colourful thanks to the efforts of one couple.

Ghost Passage in Wisbech is no longer the dismal, and sometimes intimidating area it once was, and it is all because of green fingered George Rowlett and his wife Diane.

Throughout the summer the couple have diligently planted flowers in pots and replaced weeds growing between the cracks and alongside the passageway that links The Crescent to Love Lane with pretty flowers to make it a floral delight for passers by.

George, 61, who has lived in Ghost Passage for the past two years, said it all started with a couple of pots outside their own home.

But as a pair of keen gardeners their flower project soon bloomed into something bigger as they gradually introduced more and more flowers along the route.

George said: "The passageway didn't look very welcoming and we had problems with vandalism. I thought it would be nice to brighten it up a bit so we put a couple of pots outside the house.

"Then we put a couple more and it just grew from there. We did have a few broken pots and damaged flowers when we first started, which was a bit disappointing, but now people seem to have stopped that and we have a lovely display right along the passage.

"We have planted flowers that will continue to bloom right through the autumn, and we will be doing it all again next year."

George reckons that some days he can spend up to four hours looking after the flowers, watering and weeding and every Sunday he gives the passageway a good sweep.

He added: "I really hope people have enjoyed seeing the flowers this summer as much as we have enjoyed planting and looking after them. It would be lovely if other people did something similar along their roads, just imagine how lovely everywhere would look."