Residents in Widdrington Station hit out at deteriorating standards of their grassed areas, blaming inadequate cutting and clearing.

Parish councillors were equally annoyed and called on Castle Morpeth Council to improve.

Coun Joe Sennett said: "A year ago the village was looking nice and with a bit of encouragement we got workers to pick up the grass at the last cut. Around Grange Court they always boxed it, but now they are not.

"I personally told the old dears who live there that if they fall on that wet grass I will help them fill in the compensation forms.

"It is all very nice saying the wind will blow it away, but the wind doesn't know it isn't to blow it back.

"It's a mess, it is like a hay field, and I don't think it should be in that condition.

"The old people pay £10 to get their grass cut and it is not right. They are still paying £10 and not getting their gardens done. One is 90 and another is 87.

"I'm not going to have it. We are losing the Borough Council in ten months and this loss of service is a slippery slope once it starts."

The Parish agreed to write a letter to the Borough's Green and Clean Manager Andy Rutherford about the complaints.

Mr Rutherford, whose teams cut the grass under contract for Castle Morpeth Housing, said the problem was caused by a delay in starting work and as soon as he was notified about the issue it was addressed.

"Our standards require us to cut frequently so there should be no grass left lying around. However, in this case a contract delay meant that grass was slightly longer than it would normally have been, resulting in a slightly messier cut than would normally be experienced," he said.

"The reported issue was resolved within two days of the initial report to the satisfaction of Grange Court residents and the Parish Council."