COMMUNITY spirit was running high in Cirencester when kind-hearted volunteers came together to transform one of the town’s most neglected areas.

Residents in the Watermoor area of Cirencester braved the wet conditions on Friday, March 28 to breathe new life into the pavement area outside the cluster of fast food restaurants on Watermoor Road.

With its uneven and broken surface, it has long been referred to by many in the local community as a blot on the landscape.

Each armed with a spade, the volunteers spent the day uprooting unsightly dead plants and replacing them with tubs containing new flowers, which were supplied by Cirencester Town Council.

It is also hoped that an apple tree could be added to the new outdoor garden, which is being dedicated to former Watermoor resident Herbert Stark, who gave a lot of money to local good causes.

Cllr Shane Poole, who took part in the improvement work, said that the efforts of the group could already be seen.

“Even though there is a lot of work that still needs to be done, I think it looks a lot better already,” he said.

“It looked a bit drab before so fingers crossed this will help improve the whole area. I’m looking forward to the rest of the project.”

The nearby Kwik Fit garage donated a number of its mechanics to help with some of the more laborious digging while local takeaway joint American Pizza served up free pizza and drinks for those who had taken part.

Jonathon Smith, centre manager of Cirencester Kwik Fit, said it was important that staff at the garage are proactive in the community.

"The area just down the road from our centre was definitely in need of a tidy up, so we were glad to brave the weather and join the other volunteers in keeping Cirencester a pleasant place to live and work."

Organisers anticipate that the next stages of the renovation project will be completed in the coming weeks.

Anyone who would like further details should contact Cllr Jenny Hincks, chairman of Watermoor Community Group, on 01285 654984.