The council is allowing the grass to grow longer this spring.

In a bid to create more plant species, habitats for wildlife, and nectar sources for pollinators, New Forest District Council (NFDC) will be stopping the mowing of grass on some of the verges and larger patches of land in May and some of June.

The council is calling this the 'Let It Bee' approach aimed at highlighting the importance of bees as pollinators and letting grass grow for wildlife.

The strategy stems from last year's No Mow May campaign, which encouraged people not to mow their lawns in May and mow less during the summer.

Cllr Geoffrey Blunden, portfolio holder for environment and sustainability, said: “We’re looking forward to seeing areas in our district flourish with our 'Let It Bee' approach.

“We have listened to feedback from last year and are working closely with Hampshire County Council to make sure grass will be cut where it is important for safety and visibility.

“We’ll be continuing to review sites that might work for wildflower planting and use information gained from our trial sites at Fawley Fields and Appletree Court to help with this.

“We’d like to encourage residents to consider having their own wild areas in their gardens. You can reduce grass cutting at the bottom of your hedge to encourage more species to grow naturally or pick up wildflower mixes from your local seed retailer for your garden or window boxes.”

The approach coincides with a gap in alternative nectar sources in May.

NFDC’s usual six week cutting rota will be adjusted to accommodate the Let It Bee programme.

Depending on when the last cut was, some areas may not see another cut until the end of June.

From June onwards, the regular cutting schedule will resume, with most sites expected to be mowed by late June or early July.

Residents can find out more about NFDC’s Let It Bee grass maintenance programme at https://newforest.gov.uk/LetItBee.

More information can be found at https://www.plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/nomowmay/.