Plucky pensioner battles cancer and heart attack to create Wombourne wonderland garden

Bill Glover has designed what he describes as his 'wonderland' in the back garden of his sheltered care bungalow in Victoria Grove.

The plot has taken three years to build.

It contains a host of quirky features, including people sculpted out of trees, a wishing well, a frog on a swing, a hand-carved crocodile and a steadily increasing number of gnomes - one of them proudly sporting a Wolves scarf.

There's also a colourful array of seasonal foliage and a giant gold-nosed reindeer.

"I shouldn't be here by rights," said the 72-year-old.

"But everything I've faced I've managed to pull through and now I just want to enjoy the things that life has to offer.

"Getting the garden done with all the gnomes really brightened things up and keeps me laughing."

Mr Glover was diagnosed with prostate cancer six years ago and was told by doctors that he was too late for effective treatment.

But he managed to pull through - only to suffer a heart attack which required a triple bypass operation in 2010.

And his troubles didn't end there.

While he was in hospital recuperating he suffered a stroke that was only picked up following a precautionary scan.

"It was one thing after another," he said.

"My health is as good as it is going to get now.

"The doctors have been brilliant and for me it's just taking each day as it comes."

Mr Glover lived in Telford for 25 years and spent a brief time in Pendeford before moving to his Wombourne home in 2012.

He decided to revamp his garden shortly after.

"It was all rubble, like a tip when I came here, with three rotten trees hanging over it," he said.

"I've always been a keen gardener and the more I looked at it the more I started to plan what I wanted it to become. It just seemed like so much work and there was no way I would have been able to get it done alone."

Mr Glover enlisted the help of his friend's son Richard Taylor, 26, who carried out the heavy lifting and digging while he focused on designing the 200sq ft plot.

He said: "Richard did all the hard work.

"It's frustrating for me because I want to do more things with it but my health just won't allow me to."

And their work is not finished yet.

Mr Glover said plans are afoot to extend the plot around the edges of the entire yard.

"Now I've got the main bit done I sit in the house and think to myself, 'I know this could be better'," he said.

"Of course it all depends on when Richard is available, but I'd love to extend the garden around the side.

"My brain keeps ticking over with ideas but we'll just have to see what happens."

In the meantime the garden is there to be enjoyed by all - including his grandsons Arun and Hari Pall, aged 10 and 9 years respectively.

His daughter, Anne-Marie Pall, 41, said: "He's worked hard all his life and the garden is an absolute joy. We are all very proud of him."

Mr Glover added: "The kids love it because there's always something new there every time they come over.

"But the neighbours give me a bit of sarcasm.

"They keep asking me when the garden centre is due to open."