For the past six years, a small corner of a Medway waste tip has been a refuge for homeless gnomes.

Hundreds of the pointy-

hatted garden favourites have been given the chance of a

happy retirement in a memorial garden in Ambley Way, Gillingham.

But future generations will have to find somewhere else to plant their fishing rods after a decision by Medway Council.

Tony Whiteman, 48, a site officer at the Ambley Way tip, said he started the memorial to his friend Alf, who died in an incident at the site more than six years ago.

Alf, aged in his 50s, only worked at Ambley Way for a few weeks before the tragedy, but his wife still visits the site every year to lay flowers at the scene.

Memorial

The gnomes and other models are all donated to the garden by customers who no longer want them, and Mr Whiteman has even installed a corner bath with five fish.

Mr Whiteman said: “I only knew him for a short time as he got a job here temporarily. His wife places flowers in the corner of the site, and I thought I would make a little garden and now people are always asking me about it.”

But according to workers at the site, the council has notified them that no more gnomes can be added to the memorial as space is now so limited.

It is understood the existing gnomes are safe for now.