LIVING next door to the Speak family has brought Carol Bennett and Bernard O'Brien a wholly unexpected surprise -- a brand new garden.

And for a task of that size, who better to ask than BBC's crack Ground Force team?

Armed with an array of equipment, detailed plans and an awful lot of turf, Alan Titchmarsh, Charlie Dimmock, Tommy Walsh and his assistant Willie Shanahan swooped into Hesketh Court, Great Harwood, to give the garden --described by handyman Tommy as a "bomb-site" -- a makeover and the surprise of a lifetime to 40-year-old Carol and Bernard, 43.

And the couple's verdict when they returned from a caravan break in Clitheroe? Absolutely lovely!

The expert team -- which is backed by only a small band of helpers and various crew members -- was alerted to the garden emergency by the neighbour's children Kathryn, 18, and 10-year-old Edward Speak.

After moving into the new housing estate in February last year the couple just "never got round" to fixing the garden, apparently left in a state by the developers.

Kathryn said: "All the gardens were a mess and I just thought it would be a nice surprise. I wrote off last year but didn't expect to anything to come of it."

Bernard and Carol's 19-year-old daughter Andrea was in on the scheme but was in Italy as the plan unfolded. Carol's parents Dorothy and Jack Jennings were also in on it and but were sworn to secrecy. The whole affair was wrapped in mystery, employing cloak-and-dagger techniques to ensure the thing went off without a hitch.

Dorothy said: "We knew a week before Christmas and it was hard keeping it a secret." Crew member Kirsty King said Kathryn and Edward's letter was one of thousands the show's producers received every week -- usually from members of the same family wanting to surprise their relatives.

She said: "We select the ones that we like and are suitable. We also look for a nice story which this one obviously was."

The BBC replied to Kathryn, who has just completed her A-levels at St Mary's College, in Blackburn, just before Christmas and a series of rendezvous were arranged. With great stealth Kathryn had to take photographs of the garden from her bedroom window on the request of the show's researchers. Then earlier this year a camera crew visited the house, while Carol, a beauty therapist lecturer at Nelson and Colne College and Accrington and Rossendale College, and retail stores marketing manager Bernard were at work, to check out the evidence for themselves.

Sufficiently satisfied, the team, currently on its eighth series, drew up back-room plans and this week moved in for the kill.

They arrived early on Tuesday and -- after the obligatory builder's cuppa -- set straight to work. Contrary to myth, the "stars" of the show don't sit around while the hard work is done for them, only popping up when the camera is switched on.

They sweated and toiled, knees in the mud, hands in the dirt, from 9am till 6pm -- only stopping for the odd brew supplied by Kathryn's mum Christine -- or to briefly chat with any youngsters that trickled into the garden once word got out who was in the neighbourhood -- the team worked constantly with just a handful of helpers, including the neighbours.

St Hubert's Primary pupil Edward rolled up his sleeves, as did dad David. Edward said: "I was really pleased when I found out that Ground Force were coming. "My favourite is Alan Titchmarsh. He is so cool and let me help him when he was doing the gardening. I am now an even bigger fan of Alan's and I have got my own picture and autograph to prove that he actually came into my house."

After a restful night at Sparth House Hotel, in Accrington, the team returned yesterday for the final push -- and were welcomed by good old-fashioned Lancashire rain.

They pushed on and, save a few mishaps -- notably when handyman Tommy banged his thumb with a hammer -- the garden began to take shape.

Gone were the weeds, in were the trees, a magnificent pond, complete with bridge surrounded by a scattering of stones and garden furniture. All for less than the show's budget of £1,500 and all from local suppliers.

The 5pm deadline was soon upon them -- and Carol and Bernard were on their way home.

Vans were hidden, as were the people, leaving a camera crew to focus on the couple's shocked expressions.

"It's absolutely lovely. Everything is just marvellous," said a delighted Carol. "I could not believe that this had happened to us. You only dream of things like this."

As the corks popped and the champagne flowed as steadily as the rain the couple -- who are to wed next February -- were left to gaze around their brand new garden and another Ground Force job was complete.

It was left to Tommy Walsh to reflect: "We had to make a bit more effort because of the rain but it is a major garden. It was a bomb site before and now it is beautiful. It makes it all worthwhile when you see faces like that."