NINE people and a dog gave up their time to help rid a dale beauty spot of invasive Himalayan balsam.
Hoards of the plants were pulled out alongside the waterways around Barnard Castle’s upper Demesnes wildflower meadow last week by the town’s volunteer workers.
Group organiser Roger Peat said it was important to remove the invasive plants at this time of year when they are flowering.
He added: “It is when it goes to seed [that it is a problem] – it just explodes and the seeds go everywhere.”
There is an art to removing the plants with volunteers having to pull them out by the roots and then “snap the stem” below the first nodule.
Unlike other invasive plants, the pulled weed does not need to be taken away and can be left in situ to decompose and become compost.
The group was encouraged throughout their work by black Labrador mascot Winston.
