EASTLEIGH'S spiralling grass explosion is driving pedestrians onto a busy road and into danger.

That's the claim of one disgruntled resident fed-up that the borough's southern parishes have been left to go to seed.

Hound parish councillor Rodney Cummins, who has complained about the council's poor grass-cutting record all summer, says unkempt verges in Old Netley are now forcing people to walk on the dangerous Portsmouth Road.

The busy A3025 is already a well-known accident blackspot in the area well-used by heavy goods vehicles and has been the focus of many local campaigns to have safety measures introduced.

Now, because of a 100-metre stretch of overgrown path and lack of a footway on the opposite side of the road, pedestrians are being forced to risk a walk along the danger road itself.

Mr Cummins, who claims to have contacted the council several times about the problem, said: "It's the only footpath from Old Netley to Woolston and people use it to get to the wholesalers.

"But now it's closed off and you can't even walk two people abreast down it. A lot of people walk it with prams and push- chairs and they are being forced to use the road.

"With the number of heavy vehicles that come down that road it's putting people's lives at risk."

However, a spokesman for the council said: "The hedgerow is in private ownership and the borough council has served notices on adjacent landowners to cut their hedges back. That work has been done. We are now seeking the help of Hound parish council in identifying the owner of the stretch that Mr Cummins is complaining about, to get the work done as soon as possible."

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.