In return for their efforts a donation of £1,500 from landscape and tree surgeon company DG Green Works was made to Petersfield Rugby Club to help defray the cost of the players' club membership.

During the clear up day the team filled the equivalent of a big skip with rubbish buried under the head-high brambles, cleaned out a garage full of rotting and mouldering items, cleared the garden of brambles, weeds and long grass, trimmed a hedge, cut back an apple tree, cleared gutters and downpipes, laid a slab path and ‘discovered’ a lost path and returned it to use.

The elderly lady, who over the years has filled her garden and garage with ‘hoarded’ items, and her wheelchair bound neighbour, are both tenants of Radian Housing Association.

Susi Drummond of Radian said: “I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all the lads for all their hard work. We achieved miracles with the garden and looking at the before and after photographs it shows just how hard everybody worked.

“They were a lovely bunch of lads, all with a great sense of humour and what was nice was that they all just got stuck into it with 100% effort! The tenant was very grateful and was sorry she hadn’t said goodbye to everyone but did ask us to pass on her thanks to everyone involved.

“We hope to be able to work with you all again as and when another suitable project comes up.”