West Horndon faces a stand off over the village play area that has become an inaccessible jungle too overgrown for children.

The grass at the park off Cadogen Avenue has grown so long it is almost impossible to use.

Brentwood Borough Council wants to get its big mowers into the park to cut it, but there is no room to get them in. A previous arrangement to take the mowers through a private garden has fallen through and West Horndon school governors are refusing to allow the council through its land.

Mum Karen Lynch said her 11-year-old son could not play football because of the state of the park.

She said: "We don't have any amenities here but we do have the park, but it's just been left to get totally overgrown. Now just days before the school holidays start there is nothing for the children to do."

Borough councillor for West Horndon, Roy Boggis, said he was planning a public meeting to discuss the farcical situation.

"It is a stalemate. We can't get anywhere. We need to get that grass cut for the holiday period. I don't see why the school governors should dictate to the rest of West Horndon."

But the school is standing by its decision, and Essex County Council has confirmed that it is for the governors to make that decision.

Head teacher at West Horndon County Primary School, Viv Wakeham, said: "The school governors are not willing to compromise the safety of the children or the security of the site."

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