Autistic boy wages war on overgrown footpath after plantation not cut

Danny White (12) decided enough was enough and use a pair of shears to tackle the private path behind his home in Tirrington, Bretton, which was covered by overgrown plantation that the city council has responsibility for.

His proud mum Zoe said: “Danny physically could not get round the back of the house. So he went out and spent the whole day clearing eight slabs with a pair of shears so he could get through to the back gate.

“He had a bee in his bonnet and he did such an amazing job.”

Zoe shared Danny’s actions on the Bretton Community Facebook page which drew a lot of feedback and led to a new project to clear the rest of the footpath, with volunteers fuelled by sandwiches and water supplied by The Oxcart at the Pyramid Centre.

A council spokeswoman said: “We do not have a duty to cut vegetation which is overhanging on private property.

“However, we were aware that volunteers from the local area were clearing the privately owned footpath at the back of homes in Tirrington and we have been working with both the Tirrington Project and Bretton Parish Council to arrange a free collection of the vegetation that was cleared.”

Residents in Bretton have also been taking part in the 5 A Day Challenge, an idea posted by James Hayes on the Bretton Community Facebook page to pick up five pieces of litter a day and to post a photo or a comment online.