Bench honours war veteran and champion flower grower Stan Pennington

The bench, in memory of Second World War veteran Stan Pennington, was opened in a ceremony at the allotment site on Alder Hey Road which is named after Stan.

Stan, who passed away this year aged 93, was a stalwart of the allotment site and a champion dahlia grower.

He was also awarded France's top military honour, the Legion d'Honneur medal in October 2016 at Eccleston Court care home for his bravery in the liberation of France, recognising his role in the D-Day Landings.

The ceremony, which was held on Saturday, November 17, was attended by the Royal British Legion and saw the ribbon cut to open the bench at the site.

Stan receiving his Legion d'Honneur

"Stan was always at the forefront of preserving the allotments, even 60 years ago," said Alan Hull, of the allotment site.

"He was always serving on the committee and always wanted new allotment holders welcomed into the fold.

"He was an exceptional grower of dahlias and known nationally in the dahlia world.

"He always wanted to offer the allotments for future generations."

The bench features the words: "Number 1 for number 1: Rest easy Stan", a reference to Stan's nickname as he held plot number one.

Stan's life passions included rugby, poetry as well as gardening.

He had the distinction of having the former Pilkington Horticultural Society Allotments renamed in his honour, and Stan and his late wife Charlotte were both proud allotment holders there.

At the unveiling, Alan added: "He (Stan) used to say every plot should look like this (Stan's). What people didn't realise was that Stan was in at 8.30 in the morning and home at 8.30 at night.

"I don't ever think that this site will witness a better grower of produce than the late Stan.

"Long may this site remain as allotments in his memory.

It gives me great pleasure to unveil this in his memory."