The five-acre charity project is in the final eight of The People's Millions after beating off stiff competition from community groups across the Tyne Tees region.

Its scheme to create a huge sensory garden and education workspace for hundreds of local children and teens, especially with special needs, will be pitted against a project from Husthwaite.

"It's a thrilling opportunity for us," said garden manager Rebecca Williams. "The walled garden has been restored by local people, for local people and this could mean we can help hundreds more visitors enjoy and learn from this special place."

The show, which will feature a film about the project, is to be televised live on ITV Tyne Tees on Monday November 24 with the voting lines open the same day from 9am until midnight.

And the gardening team is inviting all local people to visit on Tuesday during the shooting of the promotional film.

If the bid is successful one of the benefactors of the scheme will be Welburn Hall School students who will have their own 60-metre section of garden.

"As well as restoring and protecting this important historic Victorian garden for local people to enjoy, our work will also allow horticultural therapy for special needs students and people with disabilities to come from miles around to work and learn from our organic principles and work with our cheerful staff and volunteers," said Rebecca.

"The sensory gardens, Welburn Hall School border and teaching spaces, which will include raised beds for easy wheelchair access and a range of tactile plants for the visually impaired, plus the expertise of a horticultural therapist, will offer lots of brilliant opportunities for us to reach out further to the community.

"Everyone in Helmsley will benefit from this, so all we ask is please vote for us!"