'We live by 20ft overgrown jungle - it's an eyesore but no one will help us'
Residents have issued a desperate plea for help, living next to what they branded was an overgrown allotment turned into a "jungle".
Residents of Hinkler Street, Cleethorpes, have voiced their fury over living next to the "overgrown mess" that they say is taking a toll on their mental health. They said it is full of "20ft tall" weeds and needs constant upkeep, which has been left to them, despite being their 60s and 70s.
The neglected plot of land, sandwiched between Hinkler Street and George Street, was once an allotment. However, years of abandonment have allowed it to deteriorate into a wild tangle of weeds and brambles, much to the dismay of residents who look out over it.
Adding to their problems, the residents claim they have no idea who owns the land, leaving them feeling helpless and concerned about potential fire hazards due to the lack of an escape route. The local council, too, appears to be in the dark about the land's ownership.
Locals called it a 'jungle' with '20 foot' weeds (Grimsby Telegraph / MEN Media)
Residents living besides the overgrown 'jungle' have said its hitting their mental health (Grimsby Telegraph / MEN Media)Geoffrey Johnson, 71, a resident of Hinkler Street for three years, lives in a property overlooking the former allotment. Speaking to GrimsbyLive, he said: "It's just a jungle. The brambles are 20ft tall, and there's a shed and greenhouse and you can't even see them.
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"The tree roots have broken through the stone flags at the sides of houses and it's just horrendous. We've been here for three years and it's just got worse and worse.
"I have to take shears with me every time I go down there, on a weekly basis, because the drain is on that property and I don't want it to get blocked. But there's still regular blockages on this block of four houses, because the brambles are inches thick and they're huge. I've never seen anything like it.
"It's not nice at all and it's not good for my wellbeing. I'm 71 years old. Plus, there isn't an escape route, and I wouldn't even be able to get out the back if there was a fire."
Karen Unsworth, 61, another resident living adjacent to the former allotment, is forced to clear the passageway between her house and the land regularly. She expressed her concern about the state of the pavement in the passageway, which has been lifted due to the roots and weeds from the neighbouring land.
She said: "Over the years it's just got worse and worse and worse. People used to light fires early in the morning and fly tip things there. There's double glazing, wood and metal just dumped there, and it's an overgrown mess."
Karen also pointed out the environmental impact of the neglected land: "In the summer I've noticed all my plants in the garden are covered in black and green flies, and it's all coming from there. The other dangerous thing is, because a huge sycamore tree is growing on there, it's pulled all the cement up because the root has come under the pavement in the passage and lifted the pavement, so it's quite dangerous."
She added: "I keep the passageway between my house and the land cleared, because if I left it there'd be 6ft of weeds and brambles because they all come over into the passageway. I've only just cleaned it up and it took me a couple of hours. I'm on my own as well, it's not good for me. It's awful."
Around half a decade ago, a group of concerned residents banded together to uncover the owner of this troublesome piece of land. Despite their efforts, they hit a dead end. North East Lincolnshire Council, when approached by Grimsby Live, said they neither own nor are responsible for the land, and its ownership remains a mystery.
* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up The Mirror's editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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