railway sleepers (which are still available and very popular) are treated with creosote - excellent in outdoor situations on large landscapes . . . but not in situations where frequent skin contact is likely.

In smaller gardens, where children play, AVS Fencing recognised the need to provide new sleepers, deep-pressure treated with a process leaving no smell or residue.

As a result a special deep penetration ACQ treatment process has been developed which gives sleepers (and AVS fence posts) virtually total protection from fungal decay and insect damage.

AVS Fencing ( www.avsfencing.co.uk) has sourced and carefully selected pine (redwood) which has been

properly kiln-dried (to around 28 per cent moisture content) before treatment.

This gives the railway sleepers and fence posts a guaranteed lifespan of at least 15 years - one of the few guarantees of its type in the fencing industry.

Mark Whiting, marketing director of AVS Fencing, says: "The secret is that we choose the right species of timber and ensure it is properly kiln-dried before treating the sleepers."

"All timber is cut from British pine, which is redwood, rather than spruce which is whitewood - this allows the treatment to penetrate more deeply into the timber, which is why we insist upon it for ground contact products."

The AVS Fencing range of railway sleepers and garden fence panels (which they also supply) are selected to blend harmoniously for a superb professional finish for gardens and estates.