As thousands of customers poured into Tong Garden centre on Saturday they had more than one delight in store for them.

As well as the £3.5million new building on the site of the one destroyed by fire 18 months ago, they had the charms of Ground Force star Charlie Dimmock to look forward to.

And they were not to be disappointed.

Friendly and cheerful, Charlie was quick to offer a smile and chat to the queues of customers who had lined up for her autograph.

"There's been a lovely response and it's nice to see lots of kids," she said.

"It's fantastic that the centre's up and running again. It's stunning - there's lots of space to walk round, lots of parking and a good restaurant.

"It's amazing that they've managed to carry on trading. I'm very keen to support family-run garden centres."

The television gardening celebrity was in Bradford to officially open the centre, which was gutted by fire in September 1999.

Inspired by 300 letters of support from loyal customers, the family business survived initially by operating from temporary accommodation. The 60-acre site has now been transformed into a garden "village" offering everything from plants and furniture to a pet centre and restaurant.

Owner Ron Harker, pictured with the celebrity, praised the staff and customers who helped make the re-opening possible.

"It was a great sense of achievement getting it up and running in the months after the fire," he said.

"What's really helped us has been the dedication of the staff and we have been amazed by the loyalty of customers who stuck with us."

Charlie met 77-year-old Herbert Crossley - a day care patient at the Manorlands Sue Ryder home in Oxenhope - who fronted a national poster campaign for the charity with the slogan "Herbert suffers from MS and a secret passion for Charlie Dimmock".

She will be closely followed by Ground Force co-presenter and handyman Tommy Walsh, who will meet customers at the centre this Saturday.