'BETWEEN a rock and a hard place' is the descrition that Two Rivers Housing Association have used to describe the situation they find themselves over the growing problem of grass cutting on their properties.

Reports came in to the Review on Thursday about problems in the Rodley Square area of Lydney – principally that while the grass on the long verges had been cut, the contractors had left the cuttings behind and these had subsequently dried out. The resulting piles of tinder-dry hay caused alarm amongst the residents in the area, with concerns that they could easily catch fire. When the Review contacted Two Rivers, their spokesman was keen to tell us that they were investigating the problems and would send representatives to the area shortly. But he also added that the grass cutting problems that the association is experiencing now are not of their making – they are, he suggested, the product of mistakes made in the contracts and agreements when they took over much of the housing stock from the District Council in 2003. This left a situation that he described as: "Driving us mad. With a mixture of housing under tenacies, and private ownership, it does appear unfair that our tenants are having to pay for the cutting of the grass – which amounts to their subsidising the poeople who can afford to own their own homes. We are trying now to strike a balance with the grass cutting in different areas."

He added: "This is the first summer that we are working on the new schedule of cutting: it may take a little time to get the Estates Maintenance Programme just right for all concerned. The appalling weather has not helped the situation either, but we are hoping to keep on track with the different cutting shedules that were introduced after the vote on the matter by our tenants earlier this year."

But it was the lack of a cut that raised anger from Two Rivers tenants in Coleford. There, in the Sunnybank area, it was reported to us that the children on the estate had taken the situation into their own hands – and were cutting out their own play area in the long grass that had sprouted on the verges.

A check on the Two Rivers website confirmed that the maintenance programme for that particular area scheduled a cut on Monday of this week – but a concerned parent told the Review: "The youngsters just need somewhere to play and they are going for it themselves. I do think Two Rivers might have thought about the areas where there are a lot of kids, and to cut the play areas before the long holiday begins."

The Two Rivers spokesman commented "Unfortunately we cannot give official permission for people to cut the grass themselves – this is due to insurance and health and safety issues. We will look at the schedules for different areas – and we thank you for bringing this to our attention."