WHERE there's muck there's brass, especially in the fields around the Old Cleeve home of Barbara D'eath.

In less than 12 months she has turned the by-product of three horses into shiny new pounds and pence for the military charity Help for Heroes.

Since last autumn, Barbara has placed regular advertisements in the Free Press inviting people to make the most of the gardener's favourite, well-rotted horse manure, in return for a donation to the charity.

And such has been the demand for the manure, she has already received £100 in donations for the organisation.

Barbara told the Free Press: "You have to do something with it and we started the ads in the autumn, without thinking of the money.

"People kept asking us what we wanted for it and it was then that I thought we could something for charity and Help for Heroes was one that I felt strongly about."

The horses - Welsh ponies Coco and Spice and Arab Jag - have been happy to help and have regularly done their bit for the charity.

The initiative has also prevented large piles of manure building up, meaning the Man from the Ministry is kept happy.

News of Barbara's fundraising also brought a smile to the faces of staff at Help for Heroes.

In a letter thanking her for her donation, a charity worker said: "We are so grateful for your support and are particularly impressed by your very novel way of raising funds. Thank you!"

Photos: Steve Guscott