AN overgrown footpath described as a mugger’s paradise has been cleared.

The pathway, which leads between Pownall Crescent and Queen Mary Avenue, in Monkwick, Colchester, had been left to run wild.

Dave Harris, ward councillor, said the bushes had grown over the top of the path and blocked out the sunlight.

He said: “Over the years, this footpath, the vegetation and the rubbish has grown so out of proportion, it is almost like a tunnel. The water drips on people’s heads as they pass through and, of late, there have been some undesirables hanging about there.

“It is like a mugger’s paradise and has become a no-go area for women and elderly people.”

Mr Harris liaised with the Probation Service’s Community Payback Scheme to enlist the help of ex-offenders to help clear the path as part of their unpaid work.

After discussions with Colchester Council and the Probation Service, it was agreed a team of about ten people would clear the path.

Mr Harris said: “This wouldn’t have been possible without the scheme, because it is a long footpath.

“I want to say a special thank you to them. This is what the scheme is about. We have cut it back, opened it up to the sky and picked up all the rubbish.

“Hopefully it is now more user-friendly for women and those who feel vulnerable, and a lot more pleasant for walkers.”

Colchester Council has been praised for supplying recycling collectors from the Shrub End depot to clear away the vegetation.