EFFORTS to bring its overgrown verges and green spaces back under control are failing, claim Covingham residents.

Last month Swindon Borough Council came under fire for failing to keep up with the grass growth, leading to obscured signs, visibility problems and health issues in the Covingham and Eldene areas.

Now the work done by the crews has been criticised, with local people claiming tufts of grass and piles of cuttings left behind are making the area look shabby.

Resident Emily Mansfield said: “It looks disgusting. So many people are complaining and saying they have never seen Covingham look so badly mown. It is a disgrace.”

“Whoever is mowing the grass doesn’t appear to give two hoots about the quality of the work.

“People think Swindon Borough Council doesn’t care.”

She said there had been fine weather recently, which should have allowed the crew to catch up.

“I really don’t see the point in them cutting the grass if they can’t do a decent job,” she said.

“We have always taken pride in our area but it is just making Covingham look very shabby.”

Elsewhere on social media the council is under pressure to improve the mowing.

“I was always proud to be living in such a well cared for area, but after seeing the grassed area around the estate recently I wonder if it is still classed as the desirable area it once was,” said Sharron Bonner.

Mark Keylock joked: “We’re going to start losing small children and animals soon if it’s not cut.”

In response, a council spokesman said: “Our crews have been struggling to keep up with the rapid growth of grass across the borough, which has been caused by a mixture of wet spells and warm temperatures.

“Our grass cutting team are working tirelessly to keep areas looking as tidy as possible and have been working weekends in an effort to tackle the excessive growth.

“However, as the grass is so long in some places, it is taking longer to cut.

“The length of the grass has also meant that in some areas stalks have sprung back up, making the area look untidy. Cutting these sections again would delay the rounds still further.

“We will to do follow-up mowing along the major routes into Swindon and will focus our efforts on open spaces and residential areas when we have the resources available.

“We have also hired additional mowers so we can keep working when any of our existing mowers are being repaired.”

Visit Swindon.gov.uk/grass for details of when and where the mowers are working.