A CENTENARY bench has been rescued following a regeneration project and given a new home in Leftwich.

Northwich's two Rotary clubs bought three benches in 2005 as part of the 100th birthday celebrations of the Rotary organisation.

One of the benches was located in the Bull Ring but the Rotarians thought it lost after work took place to upgrade the area and the bench was no longer required.

They discovered that it had been taken to a council depot in Winsford, where it had fallen into a state of disrepair.

But Rotarians quickly thought of a plan for the seat as part of work on a garden at Leftwich Green Care Home.

The manager Linda Shea had been in touch with Peter Chapman, chairman of the Rotary Club of Northwich Vale Royal's community services committee, following a Rotary appeal in the Guardian for community projects that it could help.

Linda explained that Leftwich Green Care Home wanted assistance with a secure garden area for residents of its dementia wing.

The community services committee produced a garden design for a paved walkway, a bench, a flower border and a means of partially screening the area so it was suitable for elderly residents to enjoy the garden, and the bench became a key part of the plan.

Peter Chapman said: "To find the bench after the project started was a bonus.

"It was in a poor state of repair and required a lot of hard work to restore it to its former glory.

"There were a lot of people involved with this expensive project, but thanks must go to CB Homes who helped greatly with the cost of the paving and provided their expertise in the construction of the garden area and also B&Q Northwich who contributed many of the plants free of charge."