GREEN-FINGERED pensioners Brian and Janna Coomber have been driven potty by rail bosses who say they can’t use a ladder to lovingly tender their floral displays.

The couple were stunned when they learnt health and safety rules could outlaw their hobby, despite them looking after flowers around Weymouth railway station on a voluntary basis for almost 10 years.

South West Trains, which owns the station, insists it is for the couple’s safety.

The Coombers build display boxes and spend their own money and time on the flowers, which brighten up the platform and forecourt – and are also grown in planters placed along a wall bordering the station in Ranelagh Road.

Such has been their dedication to making the area look welcoming to visitors, they have received awards for their handiwork.

But all that could be in jeopardy.

The Coombers, of Chelmsford Street, were given permission by station staff to plant flowers several years ago and were even presented with special hi-vis bibs to recognise their role.

They put up a ladder against the wall in Ranelagh Road to get to the 27 planters which are more than 6ft off the ground. Although the ladder is on the pavement, the flowers are on railway property.

The couple learnt of the new ruling when Mrs Coomber was approached by a manager who said he could no longer allow them to use a ladder.

“He said it was because of health and safety. I was shocked,” said Mrs Coomber, 68.

“If we can’t use a ladder to tend our flowers, they’ll go to rack and ruin.”

She said when her husband arrived moments later the manger went in his office and there has been no contact from South West Trains since.

The couple fear the decision is just an excuse to stop them maintaining the plants – but they intend to carry on working.

A fuming Mr Coomber, 72, said: “This has completely thrown me.

“We’ve never asked for anything for doing it. I must have spent thousands building the boxes and buying the seeds.

“It’s my property, if they want to maintain them, fine, but they’ll have to buy them off me.

“But I’d rather it didn’t come to that.”

He pleaded to South West Trains: “Let us get on with it. It’s perfectly safe. I will stand by the ladder every time Janna goes up there if it makes them happy but don’t stop us from doing something we love.

“This is our gift to the people of Weymouth.”

Undertaker Dennis Mould of Stockting Funeral Service sponsors one of the planters.

He said: “The Coombers should get an MBE for their efforts, they do a wonderful job.

“It’s stupid to stop them climbing a ladder, they should be able to carry on.”

Couple have done a 'fantastic job'

A SPOKESMAN for South West Trains said: “The couple that maintain the plants have done a fantastic job and the flowers are without doubt an asset to the local area.

“In delivering a safe and on-time railway service, we carefully manage our arrangements with staff and volunteers working on our property to prevent accidents from happening and to ensure passenger services run without disruption. With their best interests at heart, we have asked the couple in question to temporarily stop using ladders to climb the wall to weed the flowers at the side of the station until we have completed a safety investigation.

“The safety of our passengers, staff and volunteers remains our first priority and we will continue to work with the volunteers to ensure that their hard work at the station can continue to be enjoyed by all.”