AMAZING thatch, shame about the back gardens.

That was the feeling of many people who live under the longest span of residential thatch in the UK – Manor Farm Cottages, in Freefolk.

Now Sovereign Housing Association, which owns the properties, has pledged to put up £100,000 to improve the 18 back gardens.

Anna Thornton, Sovereign’s housing officer for Freefolk, has been discussing ideas with residents since last October.

She said: “We invited one of our landscape gardeners to work with them, and he was able to produce computer-generated designs to show them how the area could look”.

Further discussions have covered materials and layouts.

The gardens, which have not been much more than yards, will now be revamped with a combination of gravel, grass and patio area with the possibility of some box hedging and additional garden borders.

Landscaping work, which will take approximately six weeks to complete, will begin towards the end of the summer.