A group of keen gardeners have been enjoying fresh vegetables after creating a community allotment in a shared flower bed. 

Maria Braunhofer, of Morant Place, Wood Green, said she started the project accidentally after finding her balcony could not hold any more plants. She then began planting in the flower beds near her flat.

Ms Braunhofer was soon joined by neighbours Kelli Donavan and Harry Hughes, and the three have been working on the garden since May 2014.

The allotment, spanning several flower beds, now boasts onions, tomatoes, butternut squash, strawberries, lettuce, beetroot, cucumber, artichokes, courgettes, grapes, pumpkins, celery, leeks and broccoli.

Ms Brauhofer said: “It’s really brought people together. Anybody can come down here and grow whatever they like. I never used to speak to my neighbours, but now I do.”

Mr Donavan spends most of the day tending the garden, and also patrols at night to keep foxes and small children away from his prize pumpkins.

He said: “Anybody can come here and take some of the vegtables, as long as they don’t take them all. I see people coming home from work and picking a few tomatoes, and it makes me feel really good.

“When the pumpkins are ripe, we’ll cut it up into slices and put them out on the wall and everybody can come down and try a slice.”

He added: "Gardening is just in my blood. I love it."