A NEWLY formed Bodmin community group has launched with the aim of eradicating weeds from the town’s public areas, one root at a time.

Known as the Bodmin Weed It Team (WIT), the scheme was the brainchild of a former mayor of the town, Cllr Andy Coppin.

Frustrated at what he felt was a lack of care given to public areas in the town, Cllr Coppin decided to use his own initiative, launch the weed it team and tackle the problem himself alongside volunteers.

In its inaugural session, Cllr Coppin was joined by a small group of volunteers who set to work tackling a footpath between Midway Road and Tanwood View in the town, with the pathway seeing significant improvements.

Volunteers from the group plan to complete the work in the coming weeks, in addition to other sessions elsewhere. It has initially launched in the Bodmin St Mary’s and St Leonard’s division of the town, although Cllr Coppin is hoping to encourage people in other parts of the town to do sessions in their areas.

The Bodmin Weed It Team runs sessions each week, weather depending, with details available on their Facebook Page as to where the meet ups will happen.

He said: “I looked around the town that I love, and it just looks to me like nobody cares anymore - not Cornwall Council, not even some householders. It felt to me as if there were weeds everywhere!

“I tried reporting them on the council’s website, but each time got the same standoff reply- it is not a safety concern, we don’t use weedkiller anymore.

“I felt I had to do something about it and the only thing I could do was fix things myself and hope it would inspire others to do the same. Together we can make the town look loved again.”