A ROUNDABOUT in a wrangle over maintenance has finally been mown after more than two years.

Victoria House Corner Roundabout, in Hadleigh, once had neat grass and flowers, but became thick with weeds and grass following an Olympic spat.

The roundabout, which has a statue of a cyclist to mark the Olympic mountain bike event in Hadleigh in 2012, was maintained by Alton Garden Centre, but the company was asked to stop in the run-up to the Olympics and Essex County Council took it over in 2012.

After the celebrations, no one continued with the job of maintaining it until this week.

Residents and councillors complained to the county council and one-off funding to cut the grass has now been granted, with work starting yesterday.

Bill Dick, councillor for St George’s ward, said: “The grass was a couple of feet long. We’ve been trying to get the county council to pay to get it going until someone comes forward as a sponsor.

“The way the county council has dragged its feet has been terrible.”

Kathleen Davis, 60, of Nicholson Road, Benfleet, speaking before work began, said: “We want it to look nice.

It needs to be sorted out. It looks disgraceful.”

Castle Point Council leader Colin Riley revealed yesterday Essex is giving Castle Point £2,000 for short-term maintenance while it looks for a permanent sponsor.

He said: “It’s good news and we’re hoping to get it finished by the end of the week.

It’s in a bit of a state.”

A county council spokesman said: “The roundabout has been sponsored for a number of years and part of this sponsorship included maintenance. However, the sponsorship ceased and while we work with Castle Point Council to find a new sponsor, we have provided funding for grass cutting.”