‘Generations of litter’ to be collected from Maesydre

Five decades worth of litter is being collected from Maesydre this week after the non-native Leylandi hedgerows were removed as part of a £50,000 biodiversity project led by the Town Council.

The hedgerows have surrounded the playing fields for over 50 years, with plenty of cricket balls among the items already found this week.

Volunteers have removed the glass bottles, but residents are invited to come down and help to remove, according to Mayor Alison Davies, “generations” of plastic, cans and crisp packets.

“We’re litter picking at Maesydre on Thursday lunchtime from 1pm-2pm,” said Cllr Davies. “Please come and join us, with bags, litter pickers and gloves provided.

“There's so much more space there now. Once the works are completed there may be lots of new ideas from users on how they can best utilise this extra space.”

The project to plant more native species instead has been backed by local TV nature expert Iolo Williams who told MyWelshpool last year that he was “very supportive as long as the Leylandii hedge is removed outside the breeding season”.

A number of fruit trees will be planted as well with the produce to be made available through community initiatives like the Saturday morning Give’n’Take held outside the Town Hall.

Welshpool Town Council secured a £49,999 grant to carry out the biodiversity project, which will include a new fence to ensure footballs won’t end up in the canal now that the hedgerow has gone.

Local county councillor Graham Breeze raised safety concerns last night on his social media by highlighting the dangerous stumps left behind by the workers, but the Town Council has assured him that warning signage will be in place to avoid what he claims to be is "an accident waiting to happen".