Southport Labour's Norwood Ward branch became the 'no weed' branch for an evening after a local resident complained to them about the neighbourhood's growing problem.

The group of volunteers pitched up after a Milton Road pensioner who lived next to an overgrown alleyway stopped them while they were canvassing in the area to ask for their assistance a couple of weeks earlier.

Norwood Ward Chair, Greg Myers, explained: "We were just starting up the Norwood Branch of Southport Labour Party when Edith asked us to speak to the council about the weeds. Given all the cuts that Sefton has had to endure we decided that instead of just complaining about it, we'd just get on and do something about it."

The team even had some unexpected help in the form of a young local resident, Owen Fowler, who walked past as the thoroughfare was being cleared and then came back in a change of clothing to offer to help:

"I just thought it was great to see them doing all that work just to help the area," said Owen, 18, "so I went back and asked if I could help out, they were really nice about it and it was a great feeling to see it all cleared at the end."

Labour's local 2017 parliamentary candidate, Liz Savage, was also on hand to muck in and pull out the weeds, some of which were as tall as she is: "I was slightly worried I'd get lost in there" joked Liz, who freely admits that she is not even a strapping five footer, nevermind six, "but it was great to help out a local Labour branch that wants to help its community and it's amazing what can be achieved by team work in just a couple of hours."

The project certainly seemed to be appreciated by another local resident Jacqui Conway Ross who posted on Facebook: "I got home from the yard this evening to find the Southport Labour Party finishing a fantastic job for the good of the community - clearing all the weeds from the alley way next to our house - the one between Newton Street and Milton Street. Many thanks guys!"

What though, of Edith, the pensioner who originally asked for help? Norwood Chair, Greg Myers explains: "She was out bowling apparently when we did it, so she came home to a nice surprise.

"I went round in the morning to see her and she's delighted and says her neighbours are too, she joked she'd be able to play her bowls down there now."

Nice going by the Norwood Ward branch of Southport Labour Party... I fully expect the area will be seeing a lot more of them in the area.

Electioneering never stops.... Be more worthy of respect if they just got on and did it rather than all the silly placards that indicate that it is a self-serving campaign trick borrowed from the defeated LibDims.

Well played, Libs post a picture with "calling for face" pose telling us they've written to the council. The "non local" labour former candidate goes in and does something.

Now, you could say it's electioneering but nothing our Libs haven't been doing for years and probably more effective than a petition or an article on all local sites pointing at something whilst "slamming" the council.

Originally Posted by dav

Electioneering never stops.... Be more worthy of respect if they just got on and did it rather than all the silly placards that indicate that it is a self-serving campaign trick borrowed from the defeated LibDims.

Aahhh poor ol' Dav... the man who criticised his own Tory candidate for being lazy, now trying to denigrate others for not being the same... funny ol' DAV.

Originally Posted by Gwhizz

Aahhh poor ol' Dav... the man who criticised his own Tory candidate for being lazy, now trying to denigrate others for not being the same... funny ol' DAV.

You seem slightly obsessed, Gwhizz. I see that our MP does seem to have pulled his finger out a little since he cruised to his accidental win. Good to see him discussing measures against the rise of anti-Semitism with the Deputy Ambassador at the Israeli Embassy this week (anti-Semitism being something of a speciality of the Labour Party under Corbyn of course).

Originally Posted by dav

You seem slightly obsessed, Gwhizz. I see that our MP does seem to have pulled his finger out a little since he cruised to his accidental win. Good to see him discussing measures against the rise of anti-Semitism with the Deputy Ambassador at the Israeli Embassy this week (anti-Semitism being something of a speciality of the Labour Party under Corbyn of course).

Just like to point out your funny ol' ways Dav, was a rather churlish criticism from you above after all... btw, you should read the other article more closely, it wasn't at the embassy, it was in Southport.