Council to pay for 30,000 bulbs staff mowed down

A council says it is "incredibly sorry" and has offered to pay for new plants after staff mowed down 30,000 bulbs grown in a park by a community group.

Bristol City Council workers destroyed the bulbs - which The Friends of St George Park had fundraised for - just days after they were planted.

Councillor Heather Mack, deputy leader of Bristol City Council, said the mistake "should not have happened" and added she "hugely valued and appreciated" the hard work volunteers and the local community had put into improving the local area.

The Friends of St George Park said it appreciated the quick apology and commitment to cover the cost of the bulbs.

"We see this as an opportunity to improve how parks across the city are managed for nature," a spokesperson for the community group added.

Mack said the council would cover the cost of the bulbs and community events to plant them.

"We know that communicating with and sharing information between officers working in our parks needs to be better," she said.

The deputy leader added the team was moving to an online system for allocating work to its grounds maintenance teams.

The Friends of St George Park said that while it was "upsetting" to see the bulbs mowed down, the community's response had been "incredibly encouraging".

"It shows just how much people care about St George Park and creating spaces where wildlife can thrive," the group added.

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