COMMUNITY leaders are furious that roadside grass verges across the Chiltern district remain churned up and in a mess.

Contractors carrying out Cable and Wireless work have dug up many areas of grass along major and residential roads during recent months.

But some people are angry that certain areas of grass have not been re-seeded and put back the way they were found.

Bernard Meldrum, vice-chairman of The Chesham Society, is appalled after verge near his home in Penn Road, Chesham, was left "ploughed up like farmland".

He said: "I despair at this. It's an eyesore. It was a nice grass verge and it just looks like a muddy field."

Mr Meldrum claims contractors also dug up verges along Chartridge Lane, Chesham, but failed to repair the damage adequately after they finished the work in November last year.

He added: "They {the contractors} should take pride in their work and at least put things back in as good a state, or better, than when they started."

Chiltern district councillor Pamela Appleby has noticed that verges along Stanley Hill, Amersham, were in a mess.

Cllr Appleby (Lib Dem, Amersham Common) said: "It does look very bad and it is a mess. I think it's very sad because all the roads in the area would look so much nicer with the verges.

"I don't know who's going to sort it out. I spoke to the county council about five or six weeks ago when Cable and Wireless had finished."

Richard Burton, spokesman for Buckinghamshire County Council, was not available for comment as we went to press.

A spokesman for Cable and Wireless was not available for comment as we went to press.