UK couple turn son's football lawn into wildlife sanctuary with ponds and frogs

A former football lawn in New Longton, Lancashire, has become a thriving wildlife sanctuary after Karen and Stephen Brooke spent 4 years transforming their garden into a space for nature. What began as a family garden has developed into an 80-metre haven featuring a large pond, a bog garden, plants for pollinators and areas for growing vegetables.

The couple's efforts have attracted frogs, newts, dragonflies and other wildlife, with the garden now opening to visitors through the National Garden Scheme to support charitable causes.Karen and Stephen Brooke turned their son's football lawn into a sanctuaryAccording to the Lancashire Evening Post, the garden at 319 Chapel Lane in New Longton was once used as a football pitch by the couple's son. Karen and Stephen, who have lived at the property for more than 35 years, began reworking the outdoor space around four years ago after retiring.Stephen initially had little enthusiasm for gardening.

He described himself as a reluctant gardener who associated having more garden beds with additional work.