Council members will vote on a rescue package for the gardens

Members of Carmarthenshire County Council voted overwhelmingly in favour of supporting the attraction at Llanarthne near Llandeilo.

Last week the council said it would consider match funding the �150,000 already offered by the Welsh Assembly Government, but councillors met on Tuesday to grant final approval.

After days of meetings, Middleton's trustees said they would accept the �350,000 package to keep the garden open until Christmas.

As well as the money from Carmarthenshire Council and the Assembly Government, the Millennium Commission is also contributing �53,000 to the fund.

The garden was opened in May 2000 by Prince Charles

The council's part of the offer was dependent on approval by a majority of members.

Council leader Meryl Gravell said: "The idea was always to watch the garden grow.

"It was intended that it would take up to 40 years to mature.

"The hope is now that it will get the chance to do that." The garden has already told staff that three quarters of staff - including its chief operating officer - will lose their jobs under the rescue plan.

Marketing drive

The garden will run on a skeleton full-time staff of 15, supported by some part-time workers.

The garden has faced going into administration since money from the assembly ran out late last month and it reached the end of its �2m overdraft facility.

The �43m attraction, which was part-funded with lottery money, has consistently failed to hit its financial and visitor targets.