MUD, mud, inglorious mud -- there's nothing quite like it for heating the blood of Outwood residents.

They are furious that Bury Council has turned their attractive grass verge into a quagmire.

"The council, in their wisdom, decided to spray six inches of the verge at the pavement and the roadsides with poison," said Mrs Patricia Vickers (pictured), of Beech Avenue.

"As a result the grass has died and it has become a mudbath."

She claims that she and her neighbours had contacted the council on numerous occasions since the work was done several weeks ago, but have been passed "from pillar to post".

"I have to cross the mud to get to my car. Someone at the council even suggested that I jump!

"What are they going to advise the 82-year-old lady who lives round the corner to do?"

The verge stretches the length of Beech Avenue, Sycamore Avenue and Chestnut Grove and when it rains the mud spreads across the pavements.

"Whenever the children play out they come back covered in mud and people tread it into their carpets and cars.

"It's ridiculous. We are going to organise a petition to try to get something done."

A council official finally visited on Monday and suggested placing paving flags at strategic points along the verge to act as stepping stones.

A spokesman for the council said: "The spraying operation is a part of the normal maintenance work we carry out. It is more likely that the muddy condition of the grass verge is as a result of the recent and appalling wet weather.

"A solution to the difficulties being experienced by the residents has been suggested to them and we are now awaiting their comments."