Allotment holders have urged Bradford Council to dig in to its coffers and stop neglecting its plots.

Thornbury Gardens and Allotments Association fears it might have to use a regeneration grant meant for much-needed fencing just to clean up the area.

Association member Frank Butterfield, 82, said parts of an allotment off Derby Road, Thornbury, had become so overgrown that gardeners had been put off taking on the plots.

He said: "Some of the empty plots are surrounded by 20ft hedges and are full of weeds. They look like wild gardens.

"Anyone wanting to take one on would have to do a lot of hard work before they could plant anything."

Mr Butterfield said the Council was to blame for failing to maintain empty plots but it had told the association that it could be months before anything was done about it.

"The Council is the landlord and we have to pay rent. So surely it has a responsibility to keep empty plots presentable, but it has said we will have to wait until April before anything gets done - but we cannot wait that long."

The association has been awarded more than £4,000 by the Regen 2000 Community Fund, set up to support regeneration of the area, to help its work.

Ali Azam, of Regen 2000, said: "The allotments are a good resource that will benefit the local community.

"They enable people to develop an interest and get people of different nationalities working together, but we understand many of the plots are in a bad condition at the moment."

Mr Butterfield said most of the money awarded would have to spent clearing up the site instead of paying for fencing. He said: "About half the allotments are unused so we will have to clear them up if we are going to attract new people. I have had my plot here for 20 years and am keen to encourage others to take it up.

"It is good exercise in the fresh air and stops people from becoming couch potatoes. It also allows you to produce lovely fresh vegetables."

A Bradford Council spokesman said a new allotments officer had now been appointed and would be carrying out inspections to prioritise issues that needed attention.

"We have invested in improvements to allotments throughout the year and dealt with repair and maintenance requirements within the limit of the budget available," he said.