A view of Jam’s garden

A garden in the centre of Preston which is to see its owner sent to prison for his green-fingered crime is holding an open day.

Jam Imani Rad is inviting Prestonians to come and visit as more than 4,000 people signed a petition to urge a rethink on his sentence.

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He has spent 11 years building up the garden, which has been featured on a Channel 4 show, along with his ceramic artwork.

Community Gateway, a housing association, took legal action against Mr Rad after he refused to remove the garden. A judge found in their favour and ordered Jam must serve six months in prison, and the garden be restored to its original state.

Jam is due to begin his prison sentence on Monday 18 July

Mr Rad said: “Thank you all so much – I am speechless. I have been overtaken by these worries that Gateways housing association has posed for a few years now and I am full of hope but weary.

“Without your continued support and kindness I would be very sad indeed. I hope my home, the art work and garden can all be saved and that we can inspire positive change in our communities and not all live ‘in just another box’.

“I hope after I am gone this can remain as my appreciation and thank you to the nice people of Preston who looked after me for all these years here.”

On Sunday 17 July from 2pm to 6pm a celebration of Jam’s garden is being held, with people encouraged to bring instruments down and come for a look around.

Will you be attending? Have you signed the petition? Let us know in the comments below