TWO prolific plants are threatening to turn Sunnyhurst Wood into a jungle, say conservationists.

Efforts are under way to wipe out Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed from the beauty spot.

According to a council report, an ‘invasive species’ mapping study has been carried out and an order for knotweed treatment lodged.

A decision on whether to treat the Himalayan balsam – which would involve a financial commitment over a number of years – has to be made by the end of the year.

Dennis Gillibrand, of Friends of Sunnyhurst Wood, said the time had come to step up efforts to combat the two, which are making access difficult for visitors.

He said: “They are the two main things that are causing problems.

“We’ve raised it previously, and in the spring there’s going to be a concentrated effort to overcome it.”

Mr Gillibrand said Himalayan balsam, one of the UK’s tallest plants, was a particular problem, and is referred to by the Royal Horticultural Society as a ‘problematic weed’, which grows up to three metres high.

Herbicides could be used to tackle the plant’s spread, said Mr Gillibrand.

He added: “It’s such a prolific spreader. It takes over the woodland area. We are looking at different ways to treat it but a lot of people do not like the idea of herbicides in the woods. It’s been very, very difficult to control.

“You can’t walk into the woods without being overcome by this jungle-like effect.”