The neighbours living in and around Meadow Street, Harborough, set to with their own mowers on Monday evening after seeing the patch of land getting more and more overgrown.

Grass at the site has been growing for five months without a single cut and had reached about a foot high – it took the ten adult volunteers with three mowers about two hours to finish the job.

About ten youngsters helped the community effort by picking up grass cuttings and placing them in their green wheeled recycling bins.

Father-of-two Rob Johnson, of Meadow Street, said: “The grass was getting longer and longer and my opinion was that if you wait for the council to do it you’ll wait forever. It was a bit impromptu and we just wanted it to look nice.

“There was a great community spirit and we did it more for a sense of community.”

Mr Johnson, who has lived in Harborough for about ten years and who works at the town’s Travelsphere firm, said the kidney-shaped grass area was used as a play area by children.

Unfortunately for Mr Johnson he managed to cut his finger on a mower blade afterwards and needed treatment at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

Angie Sturgiss, who has lived in Meadow Street for about eight years, said she helped rake some of the grass for collection and added: “The council had not come to cut it at all year, I’d never seen it this bad. It was overgrown and quite deep and the kids like to play there.”

A county council highways spokesman said: “Clearly this area has been missed by own grass cutting contractors and they have been contacted to ensure the area is not missed in the future.”

Grass in Harborough receives nine cuts a year with the first in late March or early April.

The council spokesman added: “Whilst the authority appreciates the action of the residents, and is aware that a considerable number of residents across the district choose to cut the grass in front of their properties, it must be pointed out that care should always be taken when working within the highway.”