Several members of Westminster’s parking department put the handbrake on their usual activities to help rejuvenate a school garden.

Council staff and members of its parking service contractor rolled up their sleeves to clear up the garden of Westminster Academy secondary school in Harrow Road, Westbourne, which had become overgrown and littered with rubbish.

The five-strong team cleared the site with help from some of the school’s pupils, and rebuilt fences and laid flower beds using railway sleepers donated by the council.

David Campbell, street services manager of the council’s parking enforcement contractor NSL, said: “There was a great atmosphere on the day, and it felt like a real achievement for us to have rebuilt the Academy’s garden from what was a horrid mess, to a nice little area the Academy can be proud of.”

He volunteered alongside Olivia Sandy of Triumph, Nick Kkafas of Serco Parking Suspensions, and Sara Sutton and Kieran Fitsall of Westminster City Council.