THEY’VE been friends since the age of five and now in their 50s, their friendship is flourishing down on the allotment.

Jean Anzalucca, 59, and her neighbour and best mate Maggie Shepherd, 58, live close by and now they even have adjoining allotments too.

The pair enjoy pottering on their plots, stopping for a coffee and a chat – and growing a rich variety of herbs and veg.

“I think everyone should have an allotment,” said Maggie. “You can grow great food and it’s wonderful to be out in the fresh air.

“It keeps me as fit as I can be and stops me getting fed-up. Otherwise I would be stuck at home watching TV – this takes my mind off things.

“It’s the best thing I have ever done,” she said.

Sadly both women have challenges with their health – Jean has arthritis in her spine and Maggie suffers from fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder that can leave her bedridden.

“There are days when I just can’t come down here – but there are times when I push myself and I soon forget the pain,” explained Maggie.

Not wanting to let her condition get in the way of enjoying the allotment, Jean explained she does her weeding sitting down and gets her husband to do the heavy spade work.

“Once it is dug over in the autumn, we can keep the weeds off with a hoe.

“Having the allotment has helped me no end – without it I would probably be walking with sticks by now,” said Jean.

She has always loved growing things and it was a tray of lettuce she grew in her teens that encouraged her friend Maggie to have a go too.

“I thought if she can do that, I’ll give it a go – and just look at us now,” she said.

“We both make lots of soups from the veg and freeze quite a lot too.”