A GRATEFUL wife has given her husband a surprise present for the years of loving care he showed her after a serious car crash.

John Howarth arrived home from a golfing holiday in Portugal to be greeted by an Hawaiian-style beach in his back garden.

While John was away, wife Tracey hired specialist gardener Paul Hinton, of Wilberfoss, to give their garden a make-over in the style of BBC's Ground Force TV programme.

Tracey, 36, was badly hurt in a car accident four years ago and was in hospital for several weeks before being bedridden for two months at their home in Clifton.

She said her husband kept her going through those difficult months, and four years on they and their three children, Natalie, Louis and Alivia, are getting their lives back on track.

Tracey, a cleaner, had been saving up for the treat since before Christmas. She said: "John has been wonderful to me throughout the whole process of my recovery.

"It's been a tough time for us and John has been a brick to me. I wanted to show him how thankful I am and how much I love him."

The grassed garden has been decked out with a wooden patio, bamboo reeds have been placed around the walls and trees and shrubs planted.

Tracey describes it as a cross between a shipwreck theme and a Hawaiian beach. She said the job was a two-week project but Mr Hinton managed to squeeze in the work in one week so it was ready for John's arrival home.

John, a salesman, who is also 36, said: "I just can't believe it. I keep expecting Charlie Dimmock to pop up any minute!

"We've worked as a team over the last four years. It's been tough, but we are seeing daylight again now and this present is just the icing on the cake. I'm thrilled."