“I’ll avo go at growing lemons at Bridlington Railway Station”

Andrew Loxton, who works as a customer service assistant for Northern, has been brightening Bridlington station with some brilliant displays for 10 years.

There are hanging baskets filled with petunias, begonias and trailing ivy and wooden planters with everything from asters and aloe vera to conifers and giant sunflowers.

In recent years, Andrew has also been planting fruits and vegetables in various spots around the Grade II listed station and is currently attempting to grow avocadoes, olives and lemons.

The 60-year-old, who lives in Bridlington, gets in early when he’s working and occasionally visits the station on his days off to tend to the plants.

“I really enjoy watching everything flower each year and finding new ways to improve,” he said.

“When everything starts coming up, you feel a great sense of pride.

“We have a fantastic community here who really enjoy the displays and there are local residents who come down just to sit in the station and enjoy them.”

When Andrew began working at the station, local volunteer Chris Hanson tended to the floral displays at the station in East Yorkshire.

After Chris passed away, Andrew decided to take over despite having no gardening experience.

“I couldn’t just let it all wither, so I started tending to the flowers and picking up some new ones,” he said.

“I had to learn on the job. I didn’t even do any gardening at home when I started but it’s become a real hobby over the years and it’s definitely addictive.”

The floral displays have been praised by the local community in recent years and won a number of accolades, including a Gold Award in the the Railway Stations and Transport Hubs category of last year’s Yorkshire in Bloom awards.

Andrew started out paying for new plants himself, but now receives support from Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership (YCCRP).

Rachel Osborne, Community Rail Officer at YCCRP, said: "We are so proud of Andrew and all the work that he does for Bridlington station.

“Every year his flower displays get better and better and are one of the most commented things about the Yorkshire Coast Line, with many people travelling by train to Bridlington especially to see them.

“Andrew is a community hero and is very popular with the people of Bridlington and as such receives many donations of plants from the community to help towards the displays.

“Our volunteers also support him in his work, and he is a tremendous support to us too, being an active member of our committee.”