Who’s mowed down our meadow flowers?

VOLUNTEERS are blooming furious after wildflowers were trashed for the second time.

A mystery mower has destroyed a beautiful verge planted by community group, Friends of Shepley.

Members of the group thought Kirklees Council had mowed the meadow after it did a U-turn on permission to use it.

But the council has now denied it was them.

The Friends of Shepley had got permission from the council to develop wildflower meadows on disused verges in the village, including at the junction of Lea Head and Lane Head Road.

The meadow had already been “accidentally” mowed by Kirklees last year.

But having regrown it the group was dealt a blow when the council insisted much of it was cut down, following complaints it was blocking the view of traffic.

Having recently found destroyed they assumed council had decimated it.

Andy Scott, chair of Friends of Shepley, said: “The flowers are completely destroyed and have no chance of growing back.

“I feel physically sick that someone has done this out of spite.”

A Kirklees Council spokesperson, said: “Following complaints about the sight lines from the junction of Lea Head onto Lane Head Road our intention was to only mow the area which was blocking the sight lines and leave the rest.

“However when we arrived someone had already mowed the area.”

They added: “When managing green spaces on highways the council has to find a way to balance maintaining the local eco-system with ensuring road safety.

“We continue to support the wildflower project and its impact on the local bee population and the diversity of wildflowers.”

Mr Scott said he was furious that their efforts were in vain.

He said: “Last year Kirklees Highways ‘accidentally’ cut down the hundreds of native wildflowers planted on verges by volunteers.

“Now Kirklees say they received complaints that the wildflowers were too high and obstructing the view of motorists.

“As residents using this road daily we found this very difficult to understand.

“Kirklees Highways refused to meet with the group on site to observe or discuss these claims but insisted on having the wildflowers cut down once again.

“After the first accidental cutting by Highways we were advised by Kirklees to create physical barriers to prevent further accidental cutting as they could not guarantee this would not happen again.

“We placed small timber posts there but they were later removed by Kirklees when residents complained about them.

“Friends of Shepley have already had to return £1,200 raised for flowerbeds in the village centre when Highways removed the permission given only last year.

“Communities throughout the UK are taking responsibility for their green spaces with full support from their local council but for us it has been a constant battle trying to get agreement for the simplest of things from unhelpful and chaotic council departments and unpleasant councillors.” Nothing remains of the wild flower verges (top) in Shepley – how they came to be mowed is a mystery as Kirklees Council denies it was involved