Video
GRASSHOLES
Watch as calamity council staff reduce tidy lawn to mudbath in minutes by mowing when ground was sodden
Houseproud residents Paul and Margaret Carolan tell of their shock at destruction outside their Manchester home
THIS is the incredible moment bungling council gardeners turn a neat grass lawn into a complete mudbath in a matter of minutes.
Houseproud Margaret Carolan watched in disbelief when she saw the worker use a heavy-duty lawnmower on a patch of green that was drenched in summer rain.
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Within 10 minutes he had turned the grass into a patch resembling a lower league mid-winter football pitch.
And his handiwork was all caught on camera – including the final few minutes when he returns to the churned up ground to make sure he covers every blade of grass in mud.
Margaret, 57, who has lived in her home in Blackley, Gtr Manchester for 28 years, said: “The ground was obviously too wet to be cut, but he just ploughed on regardless.
"It looks awful. We keep our own garden neat and tidy, and what has been left in front of our house is a disgrace.
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“My husband Paul went out to speak to a council worker who was on a similar mower. The man denied he had done it and said it was someone else.
"I can’t understand why he carried on mowing, he never looked back once to see what a mess he was making. I called up the council and their reaction was to ask ‘how do you know it was a council workman?’
“Someone should be held accountable for this, it is just not good enough. The grass has been cut before using the same machine.
"My husband has to clear up the cuttings because the council never do that – but this is the first time this has happened.”
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Manchester council’s executive member for neighbourhoods, Coun Nigel Murphy, said: “All of our operatives are instructed that grass is not to be mowed during or immediately after periods of wet weather, so we would like to apologise to the residents affected for any disruption caused by this mistake.
“We have investigated the incident and officers have attended the site to determine the best course of remedial action. The worker responsible will be spoken to and reminded of his responsibilities.”
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The workman turned up outside Margaret’s house at about 8.20am and the damage was done before she and her husband realised.
Margaret’s daughter, Caroline Maloney, said: “I am visiting from Ireland, and when I saw the grass I thought someone must have ridden a motorbike over it or a car.
“It really is shocking. There is a smaller piece of lawn nearby which the workman cut first. That is in a similar state too, but he didn’t stop after doing that.”
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