Road chiefs criticise pensioner who plants up verges in Church Stretton

Neil Pratt took it upon himself to look after the grass verge on the A49 through Church Stretton but was horrified after grass strimmers were used to keep the undergrowth at bay, reducing Mr Pratt's makeshift garden to about an inch in height. Mr Pratt said he was found "distraught" by a lorry driver on Monday, having discovered the over-pruning.

Highways England, which maintains the verges, today insisted Mr Pratt did not have permission to plant flowers along the roadside.

Spokeswoman Sophie Powers said: "We take safety very seriously. Our workers wear high visibility clothing and use traffic management to stay safe while accessing the verges. We are concerned that by working on the roadside here without permission, he placed himself in real danger."

Mr Pratt said he was aware he did not have official permission, but usually grass cutters knew to leave the flowers alone. He has lived in flats off Watling Street South, which runs parallel with the A49, for about 10 years, and as it has no garden he decided to plant flowers along the grass verge.

He had planted daisies, daffodils, bluebells, poppies, globe thistles, buddleia, fuchsias, snapdragons, wheat and wild strawberries.

Charles Simmons, chairman of Strettons Civic Society, said: "One of the things we would like to see, particularly along that stretch, is a few more trees – so the idea of a local resident who has taken it on his own initiative to start planting up the area like that is something we'd support."

He added he may put Mr Pratt up for a civic award.