Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Residents on a Blackpool estate are unhappy after a team of contractors brought in to tidy up a communal garden left a scene of ‘devastation’.

The occupants of flats on Molyneux Drive, part of a small estate in South Shore run by by Blackpool Coastal Housing, say they have always enjoyed the shrubs and flowers in the garden area.

Recently the area needed tidying up but the residents said they were shocked after the housing group – which is part of Blackpool Council – brought in a team to carry out the work.

Residents say this team - grounds maintenance contractors - simply used a strimmer to chop down the plants, including flowers just coming into bloom.

(l-r) Residents David Rushforth, Barbara Firth and Ian Morris in the remains of the garden which was destroyed by the contracted grounds team. They say flowers have been removed and chopped away leaving just twigs and branches. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard

Developers set to move onto former Blackpool Bonny Street Market site

Ian Morris, 68, who has lived in his property for 23 years, blasted the efforts and said it was no better than ‘vandalism’.

However, Blackpool Coastal Housing says the work needed doing as the garden had become neglected and overgrown – and insists the contractors had plenty of experience in garden work.

Mr Morris said: “We pay £40 a year for ground maintenance and we just want the garden to be nice, it really means a lot to some of the residents here.

Resident Ian Morris with the remains of the garden which he says has been destroyed by the contracted grounds team. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard

"This group of young lads came in with strimmers and just mowed down the shrubs and the flower beds – and then just left it.

"It seemed to me that they just had no idea what they were doing and it was as bad as actual vandalism.

"One of the people in charge of contracts told me they were fully qualified and were carrying out winter pruning.

"I told him winter pruning is done back in November, not in spring when things are just starting to grow.

"They need to come back and sort things out.”

John Donnellon, chief executive of Blackpool Coastal Housing, said: “BCH maintain the green areas for the benefit of all its tenants and work with tenants on many areas together where tenants want to get involved in gardening projects.

“In this case the resident that had previously taken on the care of this area has moved and the planting was neglected and overgrown and has been pruned back by our grounds maintenance contractors who are experienced in managing our green spaces.”

Look what they've done - residents blast Blackpool housing group's grounds team for 'destroying' garden area