RESIDENTS are being asked to dispose of their garden waste responsibly after volunteers spent hours removing apples and hedge cuttings that had blocked a village stream.
Early last month volunteers from the CAWS (Community Action: Whitley and Shaw) community emergency group were called out by a homeowner in Whitley who was concerned that the garden waste could cause flooding.
The group said, “The stream lower down the village was nearly blocked with apples, and hedge cuttings. The householder was very worried – they have a 12″ diameter culvert, so a blockage could be serious, and could cause flooding.
“The apples were half a metre deep in the stream. It looked as if someone further up had deliberately dumped all their windfalls. It took an hour-and-a-half to clear, and nearly filled two wheelie bins.
“Please can we ask you to be careful to keep all garden waste out of ditches and watercourses – there are narrow places downstream from you, that will block very easily.”
