A community garden is taking shape thanks to nature-loving friends and neighbours.

Barking Food Forest is a community gardening project in Barking Riverside which aims to help people of all ages exercise their green fingers.

The garden is next to Riverside Campus which includes Riverside School, Riverside Primary, Riverside Bridge and Barking Riverside Nursery School.

The spot near the River Thames is expected to provide green space which the project's backers, Thames Ward Community Project (TWCP), say is lacking in a neighbourhood cut off by the A13.

Barking and Dagenham Post: The design for Barking Food Forest in Barking Riverside.The design for Barking Food Forest in Barking Riverside. (Image: Thames Ward Community Project)

TWCP member, Nikhil Rathore, said: "The food forest will sustain itself and regenerate nature."

Canopy, lower tree-level, shrub and herbaceous are among the seven layers which should make up the garden.

Neighbours have suggested their design ideas in sessions run by the TWCP, which recently scooped three years worth of funding from the Lottery Reaching Communities fund.

For more and to take part in the project email info@twcp.org.uk