Kildare mum worried over giant 'jungle weeds' on her road

A Kildare mum is concerned about potentially dangerous giant weeds that have appeared on a road near her home.

Towering above the road 

Can grow several metres in height 

She told KildareNow: "They're massive and look like something out of a jungle. The kids were fascinated by them and my youngest actually asked if they were trees!

"But I heard from someone that they might be dangerous to touch."

Giant Hogweed?

The weeds could be Giant Hogweed which grow to over 5 metres in height and are mostly found along footpaths, river banks, cemeteries and waste ground.

It's native to China but was introduced to Britain and Ireland as an ornamental plant in the 19th century.

In the UK now, it's an against the law to plant it in the wild while in the US, it's an offence to import it into the country.

The sap contains toxic chemicals which react with light when in contact with human skin, causing blistering, burns or scarring.

Common along roadsides and river banks 

The concerned parent added: "I took photos of the weed and I'm going to email them into the Council for them to investigate."

Last year Kildare Co Council assured people that it will remove dangerous weed such as Giant Hogweed if its officials are alerted.

A Council spokesperson said at the time: "When the municipal district office becomes aware of instances of Hogweed in our area, our procedure is to engage a contractor to remove it on a case by case basis."