AN “adopted Yorkie” has upped sticks from Melbourne, Australia, to move to Bradford to work at the district’s biggest garden centre.

Neil Barwise is moving from the Victorian coast Down Under to Saltaire to take up a new role at Tong Garden Centre.

He will take up the newly created role of Head of People and Culture at the award-winning business.

Originally from Cumbria, he headed to the other side of the world for work, but has returned to Blighty, and said he feels like an “adopted Yorkshireman.

Rugby league lover Neil said: “I’m looking forward to building a strong culture to take us forward, evolving our shared values and purpose to continually engage, develop and motivate our growing team.

“The purpose of my role is to make sure that we attract, recruit, retain and develop the best people, but also to make sure that Tong continues to be a great place to work.

“I’m originally from Whitehaven but studied in Leeds, so I feel like an adopted Yorkshire man now and it’s good to be back.”

Mark Farnsworth, managing director, said: “We are delighted to welcome Neil to the team.

“His role will be to manage all the day to day HR responsibilities and to develop our biggest asset - our people - as the business expands from our single site to a multi-site operation.”