Japanese knotweed fines

The Telegraph reports that householders who fail to control Japanese knotweed in their gardens can now be prosecuted and fined thousands of pounds for anti-social behaviour under new Home Office rules. The new guidance explains how council officers or police can use community protection notices to "stop or prevent" people growing Japanese knotweed if it causes problems.The plant damages underground pipes, buildings and boundary walls, and grows in cavity walls as its tentacles seek out light.