TOIL IN THE SOIL LANDS PENSIONER TOP ALLOTMENT PRIZE A GREEN-FINGERED pensioner has scored a hat trick of wins thanks to his hard work on the allotment.

George Haslam was thrilled after being awarded the prestigious Fairhurst Trophy for the best allotment in Bolton.

The 65-year-old, of Gainsborough Avenue, Morris Green, also won the trophy in 1984 and 1986 for his dedication to his patch at the Sapling Road allotment site.

George, whose wife Pat also enjoys helping out on the allotment, has had his own patch at the site for the past 20 years and was bitten by the gardening bug after chatting to older gardeners. George, who used to work as a district manager for Granada TV Rentals and is now retired, said: "I was never interested in gardening, but I used to come up to the allotment and chat to the gardeners and after I got my plot I became hooked.

"I spend more hours in the allotment than I would have spent working during a week!

"There is a great community here and we all help each other out and share our expertise.

"It's great to have won again -- this summer has been much better than the past five years as there has been lots of sunshine.

"But all the hard work starts again in the winter when you have to get the beds ready and move everything around."

George visits the allotment seven days per week and enjoys growing all sorts of fruit, vegetables and flowers.

He beat 62 other gardeners in the competition which is run by Bolton Council and was set up in 1930.

George was presented with the trophy, certificate and a £40 cash prize by Bolton Mayor Cllr Kevan Helsby and executive member for culture, Cllr John Byrne.