
Walkers are being urged to “remain vigilant” due to a skin-blistering plant that has been spotted near a Lincolnshire canal.
Giant Hogweed, a tall, cow parsley-like plant, has been seen about 200m near Grantham Canal in the Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir area.
The sap of it causes phytophotodermatitis in humans, resulting in blisters and long-lasting scars which can reoccur over months and years in some cases.
Grantham Canal Society put out a Tweet this week to warn people of the plant.
It reads: “We’ve had a report of Giant Hogweed a few hundred metres from the canal in the Woolsthorpe area. We don’t know of any along the towpath, but please remain vigilant. Skin blistering from this plant can be horrendous.”
Stephen Hardy, communications and campaigns manager at Canal and River Trust, said: “We don’t have any record of Giant Hogweed being present along the canal towpath so people shouldn’t feel concerned about getting out for a walk.
“There are reports of the weed on surrounding land in the Woolsthorpe area so anyone walking to the canal from that area should just be extra careful to look out for the weed as it can cause some quite nasty burns.”
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