Concerned Kidlington residents have called for a response after a thoroughfare has been blocked by an overgrown tree outside a dilapidated home - with council services set to now respond. 

A walkway in Kidlington, frequently used by members of the community - particularly elderly residents and those with a disability - has been recently blocked by overgrowth from a nearby bush. 

Angry residents have told the Oxford Mail that many who rely on this pathway near Field Close have been forced to use other walkways, which have been unlit or walk on the road which has been particularly dangerous for them. 

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The pathway is located off Field Close in Kidlington and provides a secure and safe passage between a row of houses and fencing, and leads to the nearby Orchard Recreation Ground. 

The residents believed the tree was located opposite a privately owned property that had not been resided in for multiple years and were unsure who should maintain the bush. 

They said they had contacted various councils about the tree and the property itself - the home also has an internal garden that is heavily overgrown with visible damage to the roof.

Locals in the area have also reported frequent visits from rodents, and a nearby resident who wished to remain anonymous said they had been given a warning from police when they tried to attend to the overgrowth themselves. 

Thames Valley Police were contacted, but were unable to confirm these details without an exact date. 

A spokesperson from Oxfordshire County Council said the vegetation issue had now been reported to their team through Fix My Street available on the oxfordshire.gov.uk website and they were scheduling for it to be cut back. 

The site shows that an anonymous community member registered their complaint on April 2, 2024, saying that the plants on the path were "quite overgrown" and "quite spiky" - adding "they need to be cut back as soon as possible".

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Oxfordshire County Council said they would urge anyone with similar concerns to report their issues through the platform. 

Cherwell District Council said there was no record of open green space that was maintained by any of the local councils or housing associations and that this specific incident appeared to be a private matter. 

The spokesperson said that people could report an empty home to the Cherwell District Council through their website under the housing and empty homes menu. 

The spokesperson also said the council offers support and incentives to the owners of empty properties "to help bring them back into use".  

The council also encouraged anyone concerned to report incidents of general nuisance or vermin to them through their website with relevant forms available under their online forms menu.