Leicestershire County Council has apologised after mistakenly mowing over an area of an Ashby road which had been set side for re-wilding.

The area of Lower Packington Road, opposite Ashby Ivanhoe Football Club, was clearly marked with blue hearts and a message 'Do not park'.

However, the council grass cutter mowed around the signs to scythe down the wild flowers that had been allowed to grow there.

Ironically, the re-wilding scheme was a County Council initiative and introduce to Ashby by town councillor Barbara Kneale.

Ashby Nub News reported on the area being designated last year.

Ashby's first re-wilding programme takes shape on Lower Packington Road

The matter came to light at this week's meeting of Ashby de la Zouch Town Council's Parks & Cemetery Committee.

Cllr Kneale raised the issue and it was pointed out that the County Council staff have maps of areas not to be cut by mowers.

Now Leicestershire County Council says it will help to resow the site.

But a County Council spokesman told Ashby Nub News: "The wildflower verge was mowed in error and we apologise for the mistake.

"Leicestershire County Council will now be working with Ashby Town Council to inspect the site and resow the correct wildflower seeds.

"We have also emphasised to staff the importance of checking wildflower verge locations before any grass cutting starts".

Last year, Cllr Kneale explained the thinking behind the scheme.

She said: "What they're doing is stopping mowing the land to allow natural flowerage to come through, it's not planting, it's about leaving it to re-wild.

"You leave it for a year and see what grows up. That's the idea.

Cllr Barbara Kneale lunched the re-wilding area in Ashby last year

"This is the first one in Ashby, it's a countywide initiative.

"It's about making people a bit more aware. But we probably won't see what's growing through here for a year or so."

Now Cllr Kneale has called on the County Council to return, in the first instance, to clear the grass cuttings left by the staff.

She said this week: "A member of the public contacted me about this and said that she saw County Council workers mowing the verge.

"They have a list of all verge sites so it is a mystery as to how this has happened.

"I have asked that the grass cuttings are removed so that the verge can be salvaged to some extent."