RESIDENTS in a Freshbrook street fear a patch of ground behind their homes is attracting fly-tippers because it is so unkempt.

Rubbish has already been dumped at the spot on several occasions and one householder is worried it could prove a hazard to children and dog walkers.

“It is not just the grass,” explained Sue Evans, who has lived in a home in Grantham Close, overlooking the area for 25 years.

The trees behind the close are part of the sound barrier protecting homes from the noise of traffic on Great Western Way.

But where grass was being allowed to grow, seedlings from the trees were also turning into saplings, she said.

“I have an elderly neighbour and already she has had to replace some of her fence where new trees are growing up.

“If the grass was cut it would cut down the new tree growth, but because it isn’t done, in a few years’ time it is going to cause a wider problem. We’ll be living in a forest.”

She said that last year she had to nag the council to tend the space. “I had to fight and fight and fight for them to come and mow it.” Even then only one cut was done.

“To be quite honest I don’t think it’s good enough.”

Swindon Borough Council’s grass cutting programme has come under fire for struggling to keep pace with grass growth this summer and residents have complained about the state of verges, roundabouts and open spaces all around the town.

Mrs Evans said this year all that had happened was the edge of the space near the private path to some of the houses had been strimmed, although she said she had filled in three online forms on the council’s website requesting a cut.

Rubbish had already been dumped on the site several times. Late last year a bed was abandoned there, followed a while later by a door. On both occasions she had to call the council to remove them.

On Wednesday an old stereo was dumped. “I’m concerned that because it looks neglected people are using it for fly-tipping,” she said.

Children, including her grandson, sometimes played on the grass and she was worried they might get hurt by hidden rubbish.

Added to that, the route was popular with people taking their dogs to the park nearby and not all owners were scrupulous about picking up after their pets when the grass was long.

A spokesman for Swindon Borough Council said: “We have one request on record to cut the grass back in this area, and we did this on Wednesday.

“The area behind these houses is the sound barrier between them and the Great Western Way, and the grass isn’t supposed to be for community use.

“We will do what we can to keep it tidy as we have done this week, but areas which are designed for public use and access must be the priority given the limited resources that we have.”