Cheshire West and Chester Council is working to eradicate a weed that can cause serious burns despite claims it is not being controlled effectively.
The authority has employed a specialist contractor to remove the giant hogweed which was recently discovered growing in Linenhall car park in the city centre.
Toxic sap from the weed, which more commonly grows near canals and rivers, can increase the sensitivity of the skin to sunlight, often leading to burns.
Two boys were hurt over the summer after touching the plant at a country park in Bolton.
Arnold Wilkes, from Louise Street, Chester, has reported recent instances at The Cop by the River Dee and just off the Shropshire Union canal towpath by the University of Chester.
He said: “I reported it to Cllr Bob Rudd and I got a message to say he had reported it to the council also, but they were doing nothing about it. I happened to look on the web and noticed the piece about the car park (Linenhall).”
It does appear action was eventually taken to tackle the hogweed reported by Mr Wilkes as it had turned brown by the time The Chronicle joined him to assess the situation but concerns remain.
“Although the council have sprayed it, have they left it too late? The seeds are already starting to leave the parent plant and the plant isn’t dead as of yet. They should be spraying this stuff all the time,” he added.
Maria Byrne, head of place operations at CWaC, said: “We have employed a specialist contractor who is working to eradicate hogweed around the River Dee and surrounding sites.
“We are aware of the hogweed at the Cop and the canal towpath by the university and they are on our list of works.
“If residents see hogweed we would urge them to contact us by ringing 0300 123 8 123 so that the area can be inspected and added to our list and record the location for on-going checks.”
