Pair pluck 800m of weeds in aid of dog and cat home

Ben and Harry Wilson with dog Lulu. Picture: Jon Savage

Now the animal-loving duo – and trusty canine companion Lulu – have joined forces to raise money for homeless cats and dogs in a project which will also help the environment.

Brothers Harry and Ben Wilson, aged seven and five respectively, will pluck out weeds along the length of Royal Park Terrace and Spring Gardens in Meadowbank – a distance of around 800 metres.

The money they raise on their weekend mercy mission will go to the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home.

The environmentally-savvy pair will collect the weeds springing up from within the cracks of the pavement and turn them into compost to be used on the family garden.

Their mother, Siobhan Wilson, 48, will be joining them today for their community-spirited project. She revealed that the boys were “very excited” about starting work.

She said: “We realised that the poisons and pesticides used to kill the weeds could be harmful to pets. The children are animal lovers and, since they were already doing the bit in front of our garden, they thought they might as well do the whole street.

“It is quite a big job for little children and they will be doing the full length of the street from the roundabout to the little railway bridge.”

The brothers will be joined by their multi-talented nine-and-a-half-year-old dog Lulu, who does tricks including sitting up and begging to random strangers and “singing” along to How Much is that Doggie in the Window.

She is also due to become a “therapet” visiting the elderly and children in hospital to improve their wellbeing.

However, despite her many talents, it is understood that Lulu will not be directly involved in the weed-picking but will serve instead as their good luck mascot.

Mrs Wilson said: “Because the children are home-schooled it gives us a lot of freedom to do projects like this. My husband is a farmer and they have grown up seeing animals being born.

“We are keen gardeners and the children know the difference between vegetables and weeds.

“If we see an injured bird we try to save it and once they rescued 30 earthworms from a flood in Holyrood Park. They were being washed away but now they are living happily in our garden.

“When Ben was two years old he would take plastic bags out of the pond because he knew they were bad for the fish.”

“We were in Fife and Harry and Ben saved a hedgehog from a dog. We are raising the children to be careful with the environment.”

Mrs Wilson is promoting their environmental efforts by blowing up balloons which she has attached to their garden fence.

The family does not have a target figure for how much they want to raise but those who wish to make a donation can text LULU15 and the amount they wish to give to 70070. Ben and Harry will carry donation buckets.

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