THE Canal and River Trust is due to begin work shortly on tackling the problem of Japanese knotweed in part of Gunners Clough Wood at Barnton.

The trust owns a small strip of the woodland alongside the Trent and Mersey Canal, and the work is set to take place shortly and again in September.

Japanese knotweed is one of the most invasive weeds in Britain, its dense growth crowding out native vegetation, eroding river banks and causing structural damage.

It has no natural predators, enabling it to grow rapidly.

“We will be spraying the Japanese knotweed twice a year, with the first application around May/June and the second in September,” said Steven Facey, contracts supervisor for Manchester and Pennine Waterways.

“This will continue year on year until the knotweed has been eradicated.”

The knotweed to be treated covers two areas of about 15 square metres and one square metre.