THE lives and voluntary work of three Mereside community heroes were celebrated with the opening of a special memorial garden in Mereside.

Les Faulkner, 53, gardener at the Mereside estate, who died in a house fire in Bostonway in June 2001 was remembered alongside dedicated community centre volunteer Elaine Hilton who died earlier this year, and Tom Bell, who helped on many of the centre's committees for four years before his death and was also an ardent supporter of the British Legion.

Members of the Mereside Youth and Community Centre created the garden at the Bowness Avenue centre supported by a donation from DIY store B&Q.