A city mum says an overgrown pathway along a busy main road has become so dangerous that she is fearful to walk there with her months-old child. 

Jo Goodhew, 36, has long pleaded for the high hedge in Dereham Road in Costessey, between the Longwater Lane junction and CleverClogs Nursery, to be cut back before someone is seriously hurt. 

She said the path is so narrow that only one person can walk through it, made harder still by pushing a pram with her six-month-old puppy in tow. 

A stretch of Dereham Road is so overgrown a mum of one is scared to walk along itA stretch of Dereham Road is so overgrown a mum of one is scared to walk along it (Image: Newsquest)

"For the second year since I have lived in the Hampden View estate, I have had to walk to the nursery along a path that is very, very overgrown," said Jo, a senior emergency medical technician with the East of England Ambulance Service.

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"The overgrowth is so bad in places it causes a narrowing that only allows for one person to walk down, forcing pedestrians into the busy road to pass others safely. 

"This is made more dangerous by the volume and speed of the traffic that travels down this road and the peak times for drop off and collection at the nursery at 8am and 6pm."

The overgrown hedge blocks the way to the nursery which Jo's 20-month-old goes toThe overgrown hedge blocks the way to the nursery which Jo's 20-month-old goes to (Image: Google Maps)

She added: "And it's not only ferns and harmless plants but stinging nettles at low levels which are easy for a child in a pushchair to reach out and get hurt by."

The danger posed by the overgrown hedge is so much that Jo uses a private driveway behind it, but that too is ridden with deep potholes, unsuitable for a pushchair.

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"This is just to keep my 20-month-old son and dog safe," she reasoned. 

"Otherwise we're almost forced into the road."

The hedge desperately needs cutting back, according to JoThe hedge desperately needs cutting back, according to Jo (Image: Newsquest)

According to Jo, a South Norfolk Council representative told her last year that the hedge was the responsibility of the landowners, but that a letter had been sent out to encourage its maintenance and cutting back. 

This, she said, fell on "deaf ears". 

South Norfolk Council and Norfolk County Council have been approached for comment.

Need something in your community sorted? Contact the Norwich Evening NewsNeed something in your community sorted? Contact the Norwich Evening News (Image: Newsquest)