Overgrown footpath putting family in danger (From The Oxford Times)

Overgrown footpath putting family in danger

1:00pm Monday 2nd July 2012 in Witney By Amanda Williams

A MOTHER claims she is forced to take her life in her hands during the school run because of a dangerously overgrown hedge.

Tracy Hellaby said she has long had to battle against foliage in Farmer’s Close while taking daughter Katie, seven, to the Batt School, in Marlborough Lane, Witney.

But recently a stretch of hedge running along a pathway in the close, a well used route across town, has become so dangerously overgrown Mrs Hellaby said she cannot pass while holding on to Katie and pushing 18-month-old son Harry in a pushchair.

She said: “It has always been bad along Farmer’s Close, but recently it has got so bad I cannot use the path down the side of the road.

“We have to gingerly set out on to the road and cross to the other side to get past it.

“The Oxford Mail photographer even cut his ear on the branches while taking the photo.

“It is ridiculously overgrown.

“You take your life in your hands trying to cross the road at that time of the morning.”

Mrs Hellaby said she had contacted Oxfordshire County Council’s highways department repeatedly to complain, but as of Thursday evening, nothing had been done.

She added: “I understand we have had a lot of rainfall and that could mean it is growing more quickly.

“But it is very dangerous.

“A lot of people use the pathway. If it is because of budget cuts, maybe they should get rid of it all together.”

County council spokesman Martin Crabtree said: “We are aware of the hedge and are making arrangements for it to be cut.

“We haven’t changed the frequency of hedge cutting as cuts are carried out on a priority basis across the county.”

If there is an overgrown hedge or verge causing problems in your community, email the Oxford Mail’s newsdesk at news@oxfordmail.co.uk