Months of rain and cash-strapped Somerset County Council's economy drive have resulted in Chilcompton being overrun with weeds. Pavements and gutters have sprouted weeds up to three feet high. The County Council is cutting back on spending, but not cutting back the weeds in Chilcompton, which wants villagers to take over!

After some discussion, Councillors are asking all householders in the village to do their bit and make sure their frontages and verges are weed-free and tidy. Most residents already do this and care for the front of their properties.

The Council wants to encourage everyone to follow suit and also go the extra mile and give a hand to help those neighbours who are unable to do the work.

Meanwhile, Councillors are planning how to tackle this unexpected extra work that has fallen to them and are looking at various options. One is to employ a lengthsman to look after the public areas. Or another idea is to have an annual 'Weed Watch Week' next year, when everyone can join in a big tidy-up.

Already, public-spirited pensioners, Graham Wood and David Corbett, have set to and cleared pavement weeds opposite Montsurs Close and the Council would like to thank them and applaud their efforts and initiative.

Marlene Pickford