THE loving family of a green-fingered Greenock man have paid a moving tribute to him - by helping create a new community garden in his memory.

Much-loved Billy Stewart, who spent hours tending to his own garden, lost his 17- year battle against heart disease aged 57.

In his memory his wife Janet donated paving stones from his own garden - originally from the Kilblain Bus Station - to the Belville Community Garden for their latest project to breathe new life into piece of disused land.

Brave Janet, 56, faced a double tragedy when daughter Jen Shaw tragically lost her fight with cancer only a few months after Billy died.

The devoted gran, of Corlic Street, officially opened the garden and paid a moving tribute to her husband.

She said: "Billy lived for his garden. He would spend hours pottering about out there and this is what he would have wanted.

"It was nice to reuse the stones picked up from the Kilblain Street bus station to stop them being thrown out. Billy loved to reuse things, nothing went to waste."

She was joined by daughter Lorna, 36, who also paid tribute to her dad.

Lorna, of Lomond Road, said: "My dad just loved gardening. He was always making something and recycling. I have a bench in my garden that was made by him from a double bed!

"He built an aviary in his garden and a well for fish, he loved working with his hands."

The family were devastated by Billy's death, which was followed by the loss of Jen. She had fought a two-year battle with cancer which was diagnosed following the birth of her daughter Poppy.

Lorna added: "We miss him but he is up there looking after Jen, that's where he would want to be.

"He had his first heart attack when he was 39 and they told us that he wouldn't live long. We had him for nearly 20 years longer than we should have.

"I am friends with Sally from Belville Community Garden and I asked if she would like the paving stones."

Sister Jen was posthumously awarded a Tele Community Champions Heart of Gold gong last year for her campaigning to raise awareness of bowel cancer and her charity work.

Belville Community Garden project is busy bringing the large area of wasteland back to life.

With funds from Action Earth and with help from volunteers the Belville Community Garden team has turned an area of gorse and shrubland into a beautiful space to help wildlife flourish.

Volunteer Bryan Watson led the project, designing and sourcing the material including tonnes of gravel Thompson Quarry.

Project manager Laura Reilly said: "The donation by Billy's family means so much to us. He was passionate about recycling and that is part of our ethos as well.

"It is also very special that the stone setts came from another landmark in Greenock and can be reused."

Belville Community Gardens works with other local organisation to give opportunities for people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and for secondary school pupils to learn outdoors.