73-year-old pushes Suffolk council into action by tackling overgrown grass verge with sickle

Zena Gravener is cutting the central grass verge on Old London Road, Copdock, with a sickle. Dorothy Catchpole is also concerned about the lack of verge cutting. (Image: Archant)

Zena Gravener has today taken to the central reservation along Old London Road at Copdock with her sickle “before someone gets killed.”

“We have children crossing across the road and it is not safe,” Mrs Gravener, who has lived at Oak Barn near Boss Hoggs cafe for 24 years, said.

“I can’t cross the reservation without being in danger of getting hit by something - you can’t guess that there’s not a car coming.”

Mrs Gravener said she had called the council three times this year to complain about the grass, but nothing was done.

However, when she called again yesterday to inform the council that she was setting off on a media campaign, she said action was then promised within the next two days.

“I’m absolutely disgusted that it’s taken this much to get them to think, I think it’s appalling,” she added.

Old London Road, which used to be part of the A12, is now classed as a C road, which means the council is only required to cut the roadside grass once a year.

Mrs Gravener’s crusade has been supported by another resident of the road, Dorothy Catchpole, who said she complained to the council about the verge on Wednesday.

“The junction is lethal because the vegetation is 4ft high and the wind blows from the west so it sticks out into the fast lane so you can’t see what’s coming,” Mrs Catchpole said. “I sincerely hope they do something because I don’t want to see any of my friends or neighbours killed here and I think that’s going to happen.”

A Suffolk County Council spokeswoman confirmed the grass verge would be tended to by Friday.