A FAMOUS TV personality handed over a prestigious award to a community green space in Barrhead.

Countryfile presenter Anita Rani stopped by the Barrhead Water Works to congratulate Grow Wild staff and volunteers on being named the number one environmental project in this year's National Lottery Awards.

Anita took time out of her busy schedule to celebrate Grow Wild's achievement at its flagship site in Scotland on Tuesday, August 16.

Grow Wild received a remarkable 23,493 votes to be crowned the UK's Best Environment project and will be granted a £3,000 cash prize for their efforts.

Staff will also have the opportunity to attend the glitzy National Lottery Stars ceremony, broadcast by BBC One on September 12.

After swapping the great outdoors for the ballroom to star in Strictly Come Dancing last year, Anita appreciates just how rewarding this form of praise and recognition will be for the Grow Wild volunteers.

She said: "Grow Wild is a wonderful and a worthy winner of this National Lottery Award. Having faced a public vote myself, I know how amazing it feels to gather such positive support."

Anita also helped to sow seeds on her visit to the site – which lies near the former Nestle Purina factory on Glasgow Road – and added: "Grow Wild has boosted community co-operation and inspired people to do something positive for nature across the UK and that should be applauded."

Supported by East Renfrewshire Council, the Barrhead Water Works won a public vote to become Grow Wild Scotland's flagship site in November 2013.

Since then, it has undergone a dramatic transformation from a derelict sewage works to a community-friendly wild flower haven.

No corner of the two-hectare site has been left untouched after it lay abandoned for more than three decades.

Notable features include willow entrances, carved railway sleeper borders and over 16,000 plants.

Philip Turvil, Grow Wild programme manager, said: "Grow Wild is the national outreach initiative of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and we are thrilled to have been voted the National Lottery’s Best Environment project in the UK.

"In Scotland, Grow Wild has over 80 youth and community projects and since 2014 has been reaching thousands of people across Scotland and transforming spaces with colour, beauty and wildlife.

"In addition, around 175,000 people have been sowing native wild flower seeds all over the country having requested the free Grow Wild seed packets and seed kits. Without the support of National Lottery players this project simply wouldn’t have been possible."

To celebrate winning the National Lottery Award, Grow Wild is giving away thousands of free wild flower seed packets.

For more information, visit www.growwilduk.com.