PENSIONER Kathleen Lay has offered her vegetable garden to help ease Witney’s allotment crisis.

The 72-year-old has struggled for the past two years to maintain the large vegetable patch at her home in Middletown, Hailey.

She has advertised her garden in shop windows but nobody has come forward to adopt it – despite the fact there are almost 200 people waiting for an allotment in Witney.

Grandmother Mrs Lay said: “It was my hobby but, due to my health, I can’t manage it. I lose my breath when I’m getting up. I don’t want to see it all overgrown, as at the moment it’s in a good state.”

For the past 38 years, Mrs Lay, who suffers from a bad back and breathing problems, has grown courgettes, runner beans and leeks.

She said: “I can grow everything in it and I don’t put any pesticides on it at all.

“They can have the use of all of the tools and come and go as they please, they don’t have to go through the house to it.

“I have a water tap and water butt and compost maker.

“It will be quite easy for someone who is able-bodied to do it without any problem.

“I don’t mind advising them or perhaps helping them a little bit.

“They can grow it for themselves or perhaps give me an odd bit here or there.”

She added adopting the garden would not affect people’s chances of getting an allotment.

There is currently a two-year waiting list for an allotment in the town.

Witney Town Council has £400,000 to buy land for new allotments, but in three years of searching it has not found anywhere suitable.

There are currently 168 plots spread over four sites – Lakeside, Hailey Road, Newland, and Park Road. Latest figures show there are 198 residents waiting for a £40-a-year plot.

Last week, a group of protesters handed an 831-strong petition to the town council, demanding more allotments.

More than 10 years ago, when the Madley Park development was first considered, a plot of land was designated for allotments.

But the land was found to be unfit for use without £100,000 being spent on improvements. The developers subsequently bought the land from the council for £400,000.

If anyone, including groups, are interested in adopting Mrs Lay’s vegetable garden, call our Witney office on 01993 773133.

witney@oxfordmail.co.uk