A GREENOCK mum has hailed a local councillor who helped her save thousands of pounds and bring an end to a three-year hedge headache using a community service scheme.

Janine Watt of Kylemore Terrace had to fork out almost £1,000 to get it cut back but feared it would cost her thousands more to keep in check.

But the Braeside woman was then put in touch with Inverclyde Council's Unpaid Work Service by James Daisley.

The service allows individuals who have been handed community payback orders to work in the community as an alternative to custody.

Janine told the Telegraph: "The hedge has been the bane of my life - Councillor Daisley is the only person who's managed to get this sorted for me.

"During the pandemic I had to pay £800 to get the hedge cut down because I got a complaint letter from Inverclyde Council which said someone had fallen on the lane next to it because they couldn't see the handrail.

"I had to get a loan of money from my mum to get it done.

"It was so costly I was considering getting it taken out altogether.

"The guy who came out did a better job than anyone I have paid and they've said that they'll keep on top of it for me too.

"It benefits everyone."

Councillor Daisley says the scheme had been able to help 12 households on his patch so far, with hopes that it can be expanded in the near future.

He added: "Archie White, our unpaid work supervisor, approached me and asked if there were any residents who we could support with getting their gardens cleared.

"I asked for anyone elderly, disabled or a single parent like Janine is to come forward so we could help them.

"Janine's case was one of the worst because she had such a big garden hedge and was liable for the outside of it as well.

"The amount of money Janine was going to have to pay was a lot for anybody, but the cost of living crisis is crippling people right now.

"This scheme has also benefitted people who are incapacitated at home and can't get out to sort these issues, which is causing their neighbours to complain.

"The guys taking part are paying back to the community through the scheme, but the good thing about it is it also gives them a purpose.

"It's not just sending them to clean up a big bit of waste ground, it's letting them help someone who's elderly that can't maintain their garden.

"I have to say a huge thank you to these people who are paying back to the community in a big way.

"Anyone in Larkfield, Braeside and Branchton who thinks they could benefit from this should get in touch with me directly."