STEEL bollards are to be installed to protect the grass verge outside a Pendle pub after vehicles keep churning it up.

While the county council does the work, residents have been asked to look out for the careless drivers who repeatedly destroy the recently-restored green crescent.

Two weeks ago, environment staff reinstated the grassy area near the Morris Dancers on the junction of Byron Road and Venables Avenue, Colne, after complaints about the ruts caused by vehicles.

Now a heavy lorry has caused more damage, cutting the corner and leaving a deep trench across the new turf.

Angry residents contacted Horsfield councillor Neil Butterworth. He said: “This is very annoying as it’s only recently been repaired. There is plenty of room for lorries driving past. There’s no excuses – it’s just bad driving.

“The county spent time and money repairing this grassed area and now this happens. I want residents to be vigilant and keep their eyes peeled.

”If anybody sees a lorry, or car for that matter, driving over our grass verges like this, please take down the registration and contact me. Then I can report the driver to the county council for its officers to take action.”

A spokesman for the Morris Dancers said: “We’ve been in close contact with Coun Butterworth about the damage to the grass verge.

“We’ve contacted our suppliers and asked their drivers to take care when entering and exiting the car park.”

Alan Capstick, county highways manager for Pendle, said: “It’s frustrating that the grass verges have been damaged by this inconsiderate driving, as they were only recently repaired.

“We’ll be carrying out work to repair the verges on both sides of the entrance and will install steel bollards to protect the verges from future damage.”