A footpath running through the village of Llynclys, described as 'impassable' and 'unpleasant' by a local walker, has now been tended to by walking charity, The Ramblers.

The path, which runs from the B4396 in Llynclys, along the edge of a field, over a stile and across another field towards Morton, had become an eyesore after overgrown plants nearing 'six feet tall' had splayed across it, rendering it nearly impossible to walk along.

Iain Purvis reported the unsightly footpath, which included towering 'five foot' tall nettles, to Shropshire Council without success, so he reported it to The Ramblers, who sent a representative along to use a petrol strimmer on the weeds.

But now that they have been flattened, Iain still has concerns for the ongoing maintenance of the path.

"Shropshire Council should be keeping this footpath open for all walkers to enjoy, not letting it deteriorate to the extent that it will eventually disappear completely," he said.

"I understand the council is responsible for maintaining the surface of the path, but how can they maintain it if it is buried underneath several feet of weeds?"

Meanwhile across the border, Ramblers Cymru (RC), is also urging walkers to report any sightings of fly-tipping while out on their countryside walks throughout Mid Wales.

For the second year running, the leading walking charity has joined forces with Fly-tipping Action Wales to encourage both experienced ramblers and summertime strollers to report all incidences of illegally dumped waste to local authorities.

In 2018 alone, there were more than 35,000 fly-tipping incidents in Wales – equating to more than 90 incidents a day and four offences every hour.

Encouragingly, 1,662 fixed penalty notices were issued by local authorities as a result of people in Wales reporting fly-tipping incidents within their communities.

Director of RC, Angela Charlton believes that ramblers have played a key role in helping tackle the issue of fly-tipping.

She added: "With more than 6,000 members and 39 walking groups venturing out on hundreds of walks each year across the country, RC has a unique ability to act as a large scale and real-time reporting resource in the fight against fly-tipping.

"We want Wales to be a destination that people choose to explore on foot. Walking is hugely beneficial to our health and wellbeing, so keeping our countryside free from fly-tipped waste is an important factor in encouraging the people of Wales to enjoy the many benefits of walking in the beautiful Welsh countryside.

"That’s why we’re urging both our members and walkers across Wales to be vigilant while out and about this summer and report any fly-tipping incidents to their council."

For more information on The Ramblers, visit ramblers.org.uk