Frustrated gardeners in Peasedown St John who have no plot of earth to call their own are being matched with residents who don't have time to look after their gardens.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall first tried out such a scheme on his popular River Cottage TV programme resulting in hundreds of matches up and down the country.

Now residents of Peasedown can be part of the garden share initiative.

Councillor Sarah Bevan is opening the list for everyone living in or around Peasedown St John who has land to offer or who wants to grow their own produce.

She is offering her own back garden to start the matching list.

She said: "With allotment waiting lists growing by the year in my area, I wanted to increase the likelihood that people who want to grow fresh, sustainable, healthy food would be able to do this.

"The garden share idea is so simple and yet brings great benefits to communities, including access to healthier food, a reduction in carbon footprint, cleaner air as transportation in lorries becomes less necessary long term, and particularly importantly in these times of credit shrinkage, a reduction in family food bills.

"This is a simple idea which helps to knit communities together, and hence take more pride in those communities as well the obvious benefits of eating more healthily."

Anyone looking for space to grow produce or who can offer to share their garden in return for a share of the produce should contact Sarah Bevan either by telephone on 01761 420141 or by email on sarah_bevan@bathnes.gov.uk