'We're scared to walk down the street - wild overgrowth has turned town into a jungle'

Residents are being forced to walk in the road because of overgrown weeds that have taken over their pavement.

They are ending up with “faces full of leaves and insects”, despite repeatedly asking their local council to tackle the foliage.

The greenery, which is sprouting from the trunks of trees on the footpath, forces people to either walk on the road or trek through tangled vegetation.

One resident, Anne Wood, said: “I have seen a young mother with her baby in a buggy having to walk in the road because she couldn’t get up the path.”

Another resident said: “If you try and walk through it you end up with a face full of leaves and insects. Someone in a wheelchair has got no chance.

The overgrown pathway in Swanage (Max Willcock/BNPS)

And Steve Brickstock said: “Another example of how little we actually get for our council tax.”

Dorset Council said it had felled one tree in the affected area of Swanage. It added: “Our small team, who are dealing with the issues as quickly as possible around the county, will return to Burlington Street early next week to cut back and remove branches.”