IS IT A BRIGG EYESORE OR A WELCOME NATURAL OASIS?

 

How many Brigg people think the town's verges, borders and visible land which is in company or council ownership should be kept trim, neat and tidy?
How many folk think such areas should be 'left to nature' to assist insects visiting the wild flowers and shrubs which have managed to take root in rather unlikely locations?
Near the County Bridge, in the town centre, we recently photographed these colourful bushes thriving near riverside brickwork.
A number of tortoiseshell butterflies were fluttering about the foliage.
Some locals may feel these bushes should be removed as they look untidy, being very close to one of the town's main landmarks. Others may think they deserve to be left well alone.
Responsibility for this small area adjoining the bank and beyond the protective riverside railings is unclear.
The bridge is still classed as a highway (a North Lincolnshire Council issue) while the Environment Agency looks after rivers.
There is a major water main running across the northern side of the County Bridge which carries supplies piped in by Anglian Water.
The metallic object just visible towards the bottom of our picture is there to deter public access to the water main and the side of the grade two listed bridge.
We've seen suggestions that periodic weed/algae cutting was recently carried out locally on the Old River Ancholme.
A recent Brigg Blog post indicated this might be in order.
However, given recent weather conditions, the 'green stuff' will continue to grow before it disperses in the autumn.
This is an annual issue and not unique to the 2022 summer heatwave.
Greenery on top of the river's surface attracts town centre litter discarded by the general public - ranging in size from cigarette butts to fast food cartons.
A positive sign when we took the above picture was a family of swans (mother and juvenile offspring) swimming past the County Bridge, despite some patches of weed/algae.
Elsewhere in the town, soft fruit seems to be ripening early this year including apples and blackberries in domestic gardens and on areas of public open space.
Even in some suburban locations, frogs which have managed to find sources of water are active after dark.

PICTURED: Bushes near the County Bridge, with some 'green stuff' on the river's surface to the left; and brambles ripening near the railway station.