A RESIDENT has pledged to hold Darlington Council to its word after it said it would trim overgrown hedges and shrubs he has described as a “disgrace and a danger”.

Gerry Hird, who lives on Darlington’s High Grange Estate, said he has been pushing for 18 months for something to be done about unruly greenery over-hanging onto footpaths.

Darlington Council will now carry out work to cut back shrubs and hedges on the estate, but not until next month once bird nesting season has finished.

Earlier this month the council was criticised after suggesting the town’s residents could help out by mowing grass verges near their homes.

It said that because of austerity cuts it is “not able to do as much as we once did”. The council has already saved £160,000 by reducing its maintenance team by 23 per cent.

Mr Hird said: “I have been requesting the shrubs and hedge rows be cut for at least 18 months, but to no avail.

“They are a disgrace and a danger. There are areas where you cannot walk on the footpaths and a lot of nettles which could be a danger to young children.”

Mr Hird recently secured a meeting with a member of the council’s maintenance team, who he said agreed the estate was “looking a mess”.

He said: “He told me he will deal with this complaint, but cannot cut the hedges until September because of birds nesting.

“I now wait to see if the council is as good as its word.”

A council spokeswoman said: “Work will be carried out on the estate as part of our routine winter maintenance programme.

“The borough’s shrubs and hedges are cut back once a year, from around mid-September, after birds have finished nesting and it takes up to January to complete.

“Where hedges bordering footpaths are planted in private gardens, it is the householders’ responsibility to maintain them.”