Volunteers need help with Blackpool garden next to poignant memorial to drowned heroes

Volunteers from the Friends of Jubilee Gardens are desperate for new members to help with the gardens. Pictured is June Lockett, George Williamson, Dana Gledhill and Ali.

The Friends of Jubilee Gardens meet up once a week to tidy the area, weed the flower beds and generally make sure it looks its best.

But sadly the Friends are now down to just four members.

And their struggles to keep Jubilee Gardens up to scratch are given extra poignancy as the park is right next to a monument (inset) paying tribute to policemen who drowned in 1983 while trying to rescue a man who had gone into the sea to save his dog.

PC Angela Bradley, 24, 23-year-old PC Gordon Connolly, and PC Colin Morrison, 38 died along with Scottish holidaymaker, 25-year-old Alistair Anthony, on January 5 1983,

Dana Gledhill, who played a key part in setting up the blue 999 monument in 2013 and who is a member of the Friends, said: “The park is so close to where the officers died at Gynn Square.

“It isn’t right to have a monument there asking people to ‘always remember’ their bravery and sacrifice and then let the gardens right next to it become derelict.

“It is very difficult terrain because it is exposed to salt from the sea.

“But it is very rewarding.”

Jubilee Gardens first opened in 1914.

She added: “It isn’t necessary for any new members to come every week, any help we can get, even if it’s just once a month, would make a difference.”

Anyone interested in helping out can phone Dana on 07734328987.