'Overgrown grass verges could hurt our dogs'

Micky Krause said he was taking his dog to a groomer more frequently because of the grass verges

A backlog of grass verges that need cutting could result in pets suffering injuries, dog owners have said.

People living in Southend-on-Sea fear their pets will be injured by grass seeds - a common problem for dogs.

The city council said a warm and wet spring, and a crash involving three ride-on lawnmowers which left two members of staff in hospital, was the cause of the delays.

A spokesperson said grass cutting had resumed, but that verges near busy junctions must be prioritised.

Untidy town

Micky Krause, who lives in an area where the grass verges are still thick, said he was taking his cavalier King Charles spaniel to see a dog groomer more often because he was worried about grass seeds.

"Someone came to us on Father’s Day and said 'blooming hell, it's a bit overgrown here'," the 80-year-old said.

Ann Aldridge said she was also worried, adding: "I keep pushing my dog away [from the verges] in case he gets one of those seeds in his ears because they’re quite costly at the vets."

Pet charity Blue Cross says grass seeds can pierce dogs' skin, causing painful injuries.

"We need to have our town looking tidy," added fellow resident Marilynn Stoneman, speaking to BBC Essex.

"Even when we go over to the hospital the grass verges are awful."

The council said it would take about 35 days to cut the grass verges

Lydia Hyde, the Labour cabinet member responsible for climate, environment and waste, said Southend-on-Sea City Council was working hard to cut the verges after the team resumed work but that it took 35 days to cover the whole city.

“What we’re planning to do in future years is cut the grass before the seeds are produced,” she said.

Liberal Democrat group leader Paul Collins continued: "By keeping play areas and parks cut as a priority hopefully dog owners will have areas where the grass is cut so they can avoid harm to their animals."

Tony Cox, leader of the council’s Conservative group, told BBC Essex issues with overgrown grass verges were “the single biggest thing that dominates my inbox”.

“I’ve been hearing some horror stories with vet bills,” he added.