The success of a new community garden in Baildon, which has received planning permission, hangs in the balance.

Organisers fear if they fail to reach their £6,000 fundraising target, the Hall Cliffe Community Garden project could be scrapped.

They have already received £895 in donations after their struggle to hit the goal before the end of August was highlighted in the Telegraph & Argus.

Now they have sent out a new SOS to ensure they raise the necessary ten per cent of the final cost to transform the derelict former school playground.

The Baildon garden has been awarded 90 per cent of the £66,000 needed for its completion by the Countryside Agency.

If the money is not found and the work planned for this year not completed, then the grant offer will be withdrawn, with no option to re-apply.

Plans for the garden have now been given the go-ahead by Bradford Council's department of transport, design and planning, on the condition there is no vehicle access to the site, no lighting within the garden and it is only open between 8am and 9pm each day.

The committee has already carried out a community consultation exercise, employed a consultant and had plans professionally drawn up.

Bradford Council has granted a 25-year lease for the site on a peppercorn rent.

Treasurer Richard Freeman said: "Now we just need to get the £6,000 in the bank. The garden's been two years in the planning and we can't wait to get going on it."

Committee member Anna Barclay said: "It would be a huge loss to miss out on the money which could be brought into the community for the good of everyone.

"The garden will be centrally situated in Baildon, in an area where a lot of people don't have their own gardens."

She said the group would have a stall, tombola and bouncy castle at Baildon Carnival on July 12 to raise funds, but it was hoped some more money would come in before then.

"We only need 600 people to donate £10 each and we will be there. So the committee members have each given a donation and we hope others will also do the same."

The committee has applied to various funding bodies, including the HSBC, Kelda and B&Q for match-funding, but as these organisations have been overwhelmed by thousands of other applications they have been unable to help.

Committee members have also approached local businesses, who are similarly inundated with requests.

Chris Wright Road Planing, a company based in Baildon, has offered to remove the hard surface from the site for free - work which would normally cost about £20,000.

But help is still needed. Any individuals or businesses who would like to help are asked to contact Richard Freeman on (01274) 530383.

Cheques and donations of any amount can be sent to him at 19 Ashfield Drive, Baildon, BD17 6JE, or he can be contacted through e-mail at freemanrc@blueyonder.co.uk