NEATLY cropped verges in North Yorkshire have grown into dandelion-infested jungles - because contractors' mowers aren't big enough to cope.

The county council appointed the contractors after being handed the responsibility for grass-cutting in Ryedale by the district council, which wanted to save money to balance the books.

Peter Renshaw, county council divisional highways engineer, said that after a lengthy tendering process Fountain Support Services, based in Lancashire, were awarded the contract for Ryedale's towns.

"We were into April before the contract was awarded because the tendering process took a lot longer than expected," said Mr Renshaw.

The contractors, who also hold the contract for grass cutting in all North Yorkshire's villages, gave the council three weeks' notice of work starting because they needed to buy new equipment - they had strimmers and mowers to tackle small patches of grass, but no grass cutters for larger spaces.

Cederick Lawson, 54, of Manor Drive, Pickering, phoned the council to complain about the state of a green near his home and was told he'd have to wait for between four and six weeks.

"It's ludicrous to give a contract away to someone who's not got the right equipment. The grass opposite my home is 18ins to 2ft tall and covered with dandelions," he said. "We all feel let down by the council."

Mr Renshaw said: "They're actually cutting the grass in villages at the moment and making a good job. It isn't the fact that we've got a poor contractor; he's doing all he can with the late start and the equipment he's got."

Updated: 12:33 Saturday, May 14, 2005