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<\/p>\nAN URGENT Japanese knotweed warning has been issued after a pensioner's home was ravaged.<\/p>\n
Richard Pember, 74, fears his property in Pontypridd, South Wales, will depreciate in value after the invasive plant wreaked havoc on his gaff.<\/p>\n
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The sweeping infestation reportedly spread from a railway line behind Richard's house in 2016 and eventually slithered into his garden, MailOnline reported.<\/p>\n
In a few short years, the pesky plant grew by 20 feet, completely engulfing his home.<\/p>\n
Despite efforts to contain the plant's rapid growth, Richard admits he will likely need to fork out at least \u00a3800 for each treatment.<\/p>\n
Richard\u00a0said: "My message to others who might have a similar Japanese knotweed infestation is, get it sorted quickly otherwise you'll pay the price.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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"Also, if you're about to buy a house, make sure it's not there to begin with.<\/p>\n
"When it began coming closer to the house, I was worried because I thought it was definitely coming inside. <\/p>\n
"My son has since had the garden renovated, but it has already started coming back and it might not go away for years.<\/p>\n
"The Japanese knotweed has left destruction in its path to the point where a graveyard local to the property is completely covered in it. <\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n "You can't even see the gravestones anymore which is really sad".<\/p>\n However, while that risk remains, Transport for Wales (TfW) were legally ordered to pay the pensioner almost \u00a310,000 in damages.<\/p>\n The railway board, which was responsible for the land where the weed began to sprout, failed to adequately treat the growth which caused the nightmare growth, a court was told.<\/p>\n "It started off so small that I didn't think anything of it," said Richard. <\/p>\n "Then it just grew from nowhere to a point where it was almost coming inside the property.<\/p>\n "You hear stories about this stuff completely taking over homes and I was terrified that might happen to mine.<\/p>\n "It has massively devalued the house in my opinion because nobody wants to move into a property that has a Japanese knotweed infestation. <\/p>\n "It's like living with a monster that always comes back."<\/p>\n A spokesperson for Transport for Wales said: "TfW is naturally disappointed with this court result given the facts as presented to the court.\u00a0<\/p>\n "TfW has categorically not failed in treating the Japanese knotweed on its land and has a thorough and effective treatment programme in place across the whole of the Core Valley Lines network where this property neighbours.<\/p>\n "In this instance the court found for the claimant on the tenuous basis of a single missing documentary record. <\/p>\n "Neither TfW nor Network Rail (from whom Transport for Wales purchased the Core Valley Lines on 28 March 2020) accept that a treatment itself was missed. <\/p>\n "An appeal was considered but on this occasion was not pursued."<\/p>\n<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dk-comp-adam-peaty-1.jpg\")
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