TCMs Nick Tocher recently appeared on ITV Anglia News to give his expert opinion to viewers on the latest story to break in which Japanese knotweed has invaded the Hertfordshire home of couple Matthew Jones and Sue Banks.
The full report aired on the ITV Anglia Tonight programme shows a severe case of the weed invading the foundations of a property, highlighting how serious the problem can become. It was thought that the value of the home has dropped from £305,000 to just £50,000 and the only option was to demolish the building.
Nick was invited to the ITV studio in Cambridge and was asked to give his advice on the home in question and also what other members of the public should do if they discover the weed on their property. The story has also appeared in the Daily Mail and the coverage will help to make more people aware of the weed and the damage it can cause. A regional map showing the spread of Japanese knotweed across the United Kingdom used in the report and discussed by Nick will no doubt further highlight the scale of the issue. Specialists such as TCM will benefit from the raised awareness and the more knowledge the general public have the easier it will be to tackle the problem.
