TENBURY Town Council is facing up to the knotty problem of the Japanese knotweed that is over-running the river bank.

Contractors have been called in to investigate the intensity of the notifiable weed, which is out-growing much of the undergrowth on both sides of the town banks of the Teme.

The council is fully responsible for their stretches of the river and, in the interests of health and safely councillors, are looking at ways to prevent the weed from taking over.

Worries are that simply cutting back the intrusive plant will not contain its growth and specialist contractors have been called in for advise on costs. The next steps are to be taken by the parks and cemetery committee.

All over the country, river banks are besieged by the plant and, although the town council's actions may clear it from the local banks, it is unlikely that adjacent banks will be cleared.

Like painting the famous Forth Bridge, the seriously knotty problem could become an on-going headache for councillors.