SUPERHERO neighbours have given a terminally-ill woman the garden makeover of her dreams.

People from across Wantage have transformed an eyesore back yard into a green paradise for the woman and her family to spend their precious remaining hours together.

Friend of the family Karen Goodchild spearheaded the project after seeing the turmoil the mum, dad and son from Charlton went through in the seven years since she was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Ms Goodchild, 45, got to know the husband of the couple because they are both community first responders (CFRs) for South Central Ambulance Service – volunteers who are called to emergencies before paramedics arrive and often provide life-saving first aid.

Mrs Goodchild said: "They are just a fantastic family who give a fantastic amount of time and love to other people and it was about time they got something back."

The family have asked not to be named, but contacted the Herald because to show the "incredible" generosity of everyone who helped them.

Mrs Goodchild, a sales executive and mum-of-one said: "This was something I really wanted to do for my friend and his wife.

"Several times over the past few months, she mentioned getting out in the garden – she had plans for flowers and things, but things have been too tough for them to do it.

"The initial concept was just to tidy the garden a bit so she could get out there, but it snowballed and grew into this monster."

Mrs Goodchild set up a fundraising web page to pay for plants and asked a few friends if they would lend a hand over the first May Bank Holiday weekend.

When the weekend came around, she and the family were overwhelmed when some 20 people turned up to help.

They were also inundated with donations from local shops: Changing Lives charity, which has a shop in Church Street, Wantage, provided most of the funds, and Waitrose in Wantage, Grove Co-op and Charlton Park Garden Centre also made contributions.

Landscape gardener Barry Dawson, Alan Wheeler of Green and Stripey Garden Services, Andy Harris of Abingdon construction firm Tuckwells and Paul Whittington of Oxford Fencing all gave their time and supplies as well.

Even children and teachers from Charlton Primary School lent a hand with the project.

The family now have a new patio, new shrubs and flowers and will soon be enjoying a new lawn as well.

The father of the Charlton family, who currently cares for his wife full-time, said: "Karen rallied an incredible amount of people who have given countless hours and thousands of pounds to make our garden a paradise.

"I could not see a better way to thank the dozens of people who did all this, just in time for my wife to enjoy one hour in the garden before she was re-admitted to hospital, than to make a public thank you."

The father-of-one also said he wanted to raise awareness for the "life-changing" care and support his wife had received at Wantage Community Hospital, which is currently facing an indefinite closure.

He said: "The hospital staff are like a family to us: we can go there any time of day or night, it has completely changed our lives.

"That is why it would be such a massive loss if it closed."