Lyppard Ponds taken over by green weeds and rubbish

The Lyppard Grange Ponds near the shops in Ankerage Green in Warndon Villages have turned bright green because of the invading plants, believed to be either duckweed or Azolla.

Meanwhile, the water itself is choked with litter, including bottles and cans, as concerns are raised about the impact on wildlife.

UNSIGHTLY: Lyppard Ponds have turned bright green after being invaded by weeds while rubbish has also been thrown into the water (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

It is understood the ponds are the responsibility of Worcester City Council to maintain.

We have approached the city council for a comment.

It understood councillors have been working with officers and are looking to restore Offerton Lane Nature Reserve which consists of two filtration ponds intrinsically linked to the ponds and watercourses throughout Warndon Villages.

RUBBISH: A bottle floating in the Lyppard Ponds in Warndon Villages (Image: Newsquest)

A spokesperson for the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust said: "The recent warm temperatures will encourage algal bloom in waterbodies and the ponds here will already have quite high nutrient levels from leaf litter.

"Pond weed is actually good egg-laying material for great crested newts as the females wrap the vegetation around their eggs for protection. However, pond weed on this scale will result in oxygen depletion, which isn’t good for most aquatic wildlife.

"What is probably more of a threat is the litter in the pond; whilst adult newts will be out and away from the pond at this time of year, newt larvae will be developing and could become trapped within bottles and cans."

Cllr Andrew Cross, a Green city councillor for Leopard Hill and a county councillor for Warndon Parish, said: "We need a decent strategy on the management of our ponds as well as our green spaces.

"It is saddening to see how much litter is left by people who don't care for our natural environment. Without the silent army of local volunteer litterpickers we would soon be knee-deep in rubbish."

According to the Wildlife Trusts, common duckweed is a familiar sight on freshwater ponds, flooded gravel pits and old canals. Although it provides food for ducks and shelter for spawning common frogs and common toads, it can shade out other plants and use up the nutrients available, making it difficult for other wildlife to thrive.

Lucy Hodgson, chair of Warndon Parish Council, said the issue was 'concerning' but believed the city council was 'on top of it'.

Dawn Merriman, the parish council's portfolio holder for environment, said she had made the city council aware of the issue. Mrs Merriman said: "It's detrimental to the community. It's not nice to see it."

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She added: "Bottles and cans are not necessarily detrimental but, ideally, we would not want them in the environment."

The two ponds at Lyppard Grange were once part of a formal garden and orchard. The larger pond may have been part of 16th century moat.

Despite its small size, the Reserve is very important for local wildlife as part of a network of nature conservation areas throughout the Villages.

It is the home of  Great Crested Newt, Mulberry, Southern Hawker dragonfly, Moorhen and Damson. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation.

A spokesperson for Worcester City Council said: “Lyppard Grange Local Nature Reserve is one of 18 conservation and wildlife sites that the City Council tends to throughout the year. We will be doing some tidying-up work there later this month.”