A 13-YEAR-OLD boy has taken it upon himself to convert a desolate piece of land into a community garden.

Euan Mcintyre, from Ramsbottom, has spent the last few months working on a small piece of land which used to be part of an old river bed.

The youngster's parents, Clare and Duncan McIntyre, said Euan has spent much of his spare time working on the land, which is opposite his house in Stubbins Lane.

Mother-of-five Mrs McIntyre said: "He's got a little corner of it all to himself, he puts all his pride and effort into it.

"Whenever he's got any free time after school or at the weekend if the weather is nice he'll be over there.

"He really enjoys doing it, he takes pride in doing it all by himself.

"It's better than him just being sat inside all day, it's good that he's getting out and doing something.

"We're proud that he's doing something that helps the community."

Euan has called the site 'The Old River Garden' and there is also a sign saying 'Welcome to Ramsbottom'.

His parents said that the youngster, who attends Woodhey High School in Bury, wants to work in landscaping or be a gardener when he is older.

They also said that Euan has no plans to stop working at the site and hopes to make it bigger and better in the coming months.

The only help Euan has had in creating the garden over the past eight months is via donations from residents in the local area.

The garden features plants, flowers, different sculptures, stones and seating.

His hard work has also attracted the attention of other residents in the neighbourhood.

Neighbour Tony Page, 70, said: "All on his own Euan's managed to build this brilliant little garden.

"He's absolutely wonderful, he's done all the landscaping himself.

"It's just great that young people are getting out and doing some good for the community instead of just being sat up inside.

"Kids get a lot of bad press these days, but this is some genuinely goods news.

"It was just a desolate piece of land before he's done this and it looks fantastic now.

"He's a credit to his family and just an excellent young man."

The land used to be part of an old river bed and was an area of overgrown grass before Euan started his work.