CITY council gardeners have achieved an “environmental miracle” and helped one of York’s historic strays thrive this year.

Officials agreed to postpone its first mow of the year on Monk Stray, after appeals to take more care of the delicate pastureland.

Rupert Waddington, who lives near the stray, had been urging the council to stop frequently cutting the grass very short throughout the summer.

Now Mr Waddington has said the extra time without being mown has helped the land “bounce back from the brink”.

“This year the City of York Council kindly agreed to postpone mowing on the cut section of Monk Stray, closest to the city centre.

“This was in part due to the concerns repeatedly raised by local residents about the cumulative damage done in recent years by the mowing tractor and by the frequency and severity of the cut.”

Now photos show areas of the stray which had last year been reduced to a “brown desert” are much healthier with long grass even wildflowers thriving.

However, to maintain the “fantastic progress” Mr Waddington is urging the council to keep up its no-mow policy until early winter. Before then some places will have recovered and become wild, but others will still need time for the land to recover from the heavy mowing tractor, and for the grass to re-establish itself.

Although much of the pasture is now thriving and looking healthy, there are areas still struggling and in one spot a small “sink hole” has appeared. Mr Waddington fears this is due to the weight and bulk of the tractor which has elsewhere created muddy trenches in the ground.

Last year the city council delayed its first mow of the year on Monk Stray is response to his pleas.

This year, officials said they are looking at the bests way of managing the grassland. Russell Stone, head of operations, said: “Following the trial last year where we delayed the first cutting of Monk Stray we are looking to consult with partners and residents on the future schedule for ground maintenance before we cut it.”

Leaving the grass to grow is not about its aesthetic appearance, Mr Waddington said, but about making sure the stray can survive and thrive for years to come.

Areas like Walmgate Stray are not mown and are much healthier, he said, and people like dog walkers naturally create paths.