A LONELY lawnmower rusting in the garden of a bungalow in Summerseat has had its wish for a roof over its head granted.

Annette Martens, aged 71, has lived in France, North Africa, Spain and Rochdale before settling in Ramsbottom. She has been thrilled with the community spirit she has found.

She said: “I came to live in Ramsbottom six months ago and it’s been wonderful.

“I lived in Rochdale for 20 years and I didn’t know the name of any of my neighbours.

“Within a day of moving here I knew the names of all my neighbours, it’s such a lovely place.”

Mrs Martens, who lives in Hazel Avenue is also thrilled with the bespoke service of Six Town Housing she received when she needed their approval to get a shed for her garden.

Having moved from a three bed roomed house to a bungalow, she is struggling to fit all her belongings into the new space, including her garden tools, which have found themselves outside.

Rather than send a letter,

Mrs Martens crafted a

poem for the staff at Six Town Housing from the point of view of her lawn mower ‘who’d sadly complain’ it was ‘left in the rain’.

“With only the spade and the fork and the hoe,

“To share all the mud where the water would flow,” she wrote.

“They knew that the bungalow was very small, “With nowhere to put them, except by the wall.”

The final stanza began: “And now, every night, when all dripping they pray

“They ask for a shed so they don’t rust away.”

To Mrs Martens delight,

Sean Canavan, the stock condition surveyor at Six Town replied in kind. He rhymed

his consent for the shed,

saying: “We will say yes, you can have a shed,

“But please stick to the sizes that you have said.

“We hope your mower will like its new home,

“Along with your tools, it won’t be alone.”