The Stanmore Society has started a campaign to restore Bernays Gardens to their former glory and claim the site has been neglected by Harrow Council.

The gardens, in Church Road, were once a “beautiful community hub” dating back to the early 20th Century and were part of Manor House, a Victorian manor which has since been demolished.

The council acquired the gardens after the Second World War, and commissioned a gardener, Mr Lampey, to maintain them.

But after he died 20 years ago, the society members say it has gone “progressively downhill” and its dreary state is far from the “oasis of calm” it once was.

Stanmore Society secretary Denise McLernon, of Rainsford Close, Stanmore, says the council “don’t have the slightest care” about the gardens and so the group has launched a campaign to raise money for their upkeep.

She said: “It’s a forgotten site and that enrages me. I won’t drop this – I have to do something, anything, to raise money for the gardens.

“The society is holding a fundraiser on Sunday as the first part of our campaign.”

The 50-year-old says the appeal is close to her heart, because she has fond memories of spending summers there as a child.

She remembers seeing Mr Lampey “work tirelessly round the clock” to plant all types of flowers in the gardens, and even used to lend him a helping hand at times.

She added: “I want the next generation to be able to enjoy them as much as I did when I was a child. It’s important that Stanmore is filled with lovely spots people can enjoy for years to come.”

Audrey Phillips, who lives in Stanmore Hill, says the gardens are in “total ruin”.

The 59-year-old added: “It’s very derelict, but it could be a lovely place to sit peacefully and admire some of nature’s most beautiful plants.

“I’d love for the council to get involved and pitch some money in. At the moment it’s only maintained to a very basic Stanmore and we want them to do more to help. People in Stanmore aren’t very happy about this.”

John Williams, chairman of the society, says he was disappointed the council has neglected a responsibility to help maintain the gardens.

He said: “It’s a little hub of calm at the end of town, but it’s looking quite dreary and worse for wear at the moment, it’s such a shame.

“It’s supposed to be a quiet place where people can go, but there’s nothing inviting about it at the moment. It’s an integral part of Stanmore’s history and we don’t want to see it forgotten.”

The fundraising fete will take place on Sunday, May 27, from 12pm at the gardens. The event will feature a fire engine for children to climb on, a prize draw and live music.

The Harrow Times is awaiting comment from Harrow Council.