NHS nurse fleeced of £3,000 by garden landscaper in Milton Keynes

Laura Krikham paid £3,000 to a local landscaper for him to buy materials to build her a dream garden at her Wavendon Gate home.

But the dream turned into a nightmare when the man vanished without even starting the job.

Later Laura discovered he is serving time in prison for an unrelated offence.

She posted her plight on social media, intending to warn others about the offender.

Three local companies, Golden Gardens and Buildings, GC landscape and Francis Rose Landscaping, all spotted her post. And the owners, who all know each other, promptly vowed to get together and help.

Backed by local builders merchants and plant hire companies, they have pulled together and come up with a socially-distanced way to give a delighted Laura the garden she deserves for free.

They have launched a three tier project, due to be completed by the May Bank Holiday weekend, to create a three tier porcelain patio and an Astroturf lawn surrounded by hardwood borders with planter beds.

The companies are conforming to social distancing by strictly limited the number of worker allowed on site at any one time, and all are wearing full PPE and masks.

Other businesses that have contributed to the project, which has a total value of around £15,000. include Cranfield haulage, Dudley plant hire, Elphick electrical, Bletchley Turf, Darren Wright and Bedford Rockery

Golden Gardens and Building spokesman Zane Keeble said: "There are too many con artists in the landscaping industry and too many people are using this situation (Covid-19) to con people. We want to give the nation something to feel uplifted about, and show people how they should treat each other.

"We just want to show some appreciation for the people that are going out to work and risking their lives for us.

Danny Prestige from Francis Rose said: "The NHS staff are doing so well, working so hard. The last person you want to be doing anything like that to is an NHS worker and taking that sum of money from them. As soon as I heard about it I thought right let me contact Laura and see what we can do."