One man went to mow – and half-a-dozen willing volunteers joined him.

Businessman Martyn Connell, 46, was appalled by the state of the long grass in Knowl Park at Mirfield and decided to take direct action.

Kirklees Council has stopped mowing some of the park, leaving it to grow wild, as part of £1.3 million cuts to the grounds maintenance budget.

The park is popular with dog walkers and locals were fed up with the unkempt look of the park.

Recruitment company boss Martyn launched a Friends of Mirfield group on Facebook and organised a Big Mow on Sunday.

Martyn, who ironically hates gardening himself, took his strimmer to the park and was delighted when a small group of volunteers turned up to help.

Professional gardener Dave McAndrew brought a couple of professional mowers and a heavy duty strimmer and the group spent three hours clearing the worst of the grass which hadn’t been cut all year.

One man went to mow...Mirfield resident Martyn Connell cuts the long grass in Knowle Park, Mirfield.
One man went to mow...Mirfield resident Martyn Connell cuts the long grass in Knowle Park, Mirfield.

Kept fed and watered by neighbours and Mirfield coffee bar Fausto’s, the group made short work of the long grass.

Martyn said: “We had a lot of support and I am delighted with people’s reaction. We really couldn’t have done it without Dave’s equipment. It’s not as if you could just turn up with your own Flymo from home.”

Martyn, who has previously organised a clean-up at another Mirfield park, admitted he hated gardening.

“I hate it with a passion. In fact I loathe it,” he said. “I have a reasonably sized garden at home and it’s more of a chore than a pleasure.

“When it gets really bad I hire someone to come in and sort it out, which is a bit ironic really.”

Martyn said his effort wasn’t about a protest against the cutting cuts, it was about encouraging the community to make a difference to where they live.

The group didn’t cut all the long grass in Knowl Park and may return for another go later before moving onto another project, cleaning up a local churchyard.

One man went to mow...Mirfield resident Martyn Connell (left) was joined by Dave McAndrew, left, Jon Wood, Martin Ibberson and Sue Ibberson to cut the long grass in Knowle Park, Mirfield.
One man went to mow...Mirfield resident Martyn Connell (left) was joined by Dave McAndrew, left, Jon Wood, Martin Ibberson and Sue Ibberson to cut the long grass in Knowle Park, Mirfield.

Well-wishers posted their thanks on Facebook but many questioned whether the council shouldn’t be doing the job.

One wrote: “Job well done. But think the council should be embarrassed to be honest.”

Another said: “These photos should be sent to the council #shameonthem.”

Someone else added: “Well done to whoever sorted it out. However the more we do, the more kirklees will let us and this is what we pay our council tax for.”