A MAPPLEWELL florist is full of praise for her neighbours who she describes as 'bloomin' marvellous'.
Debby Rhodes, 54, who owns Hearts and Flowers in Greenside, was at home at 7.45am on Tuesday when she got a call informing her that her shop front had been attacked by vandals.
She quickly made her way to the shop and found to her horror that it had been covered with cream emulsion.
But with the help of her business neighbours and a passer by Debby was able to clean it up by opening time.
She said: "I got a call from the girls at Groomingales who had turned up for work at the dog shop.
"They picked me up and when I got there and saw for myself that there was gallons and gallons of paint everywhere, well I just started to cry."
But Debby's spirits were soon lifted, as she explains: "Business man Steve Barnes who was driving past stopped and said he would pop round with his pressure washer and help to clean it up.
"Then David Lockwood from the Talbot Inn and his staff volunteered to help.
"A passer by called Shane then got stuck in, Tim the barber rolled up his sleeves and helped out too.
"Birkinshaw's Butchers helped out with the supply of water and Birkinshaw the Bakers made us all cups of tea.
"We had the whole front cleaned up by 9am and I really couldn't have done it without the help of these very special people who, by the end ,were all covered in paint.
"Such community spirit has restored my faith in humanity and proved to me what a fantastic village Mapplewell is."
