Television nature expert Iolo Williams has praised Powys Council for encouraging pollinators alongside its roads.

Pollinators such as bumblebees, wasps, hoverflies and butterflies are an essential for the well being of the planet, and improve the productivity of pasture for livestock grazing, and wild flowers.

And Montgomeryshire resident Iolo took to social media to praise the council for allowing the grass to grow and encourage the pollinators.

Mr Williams tweeted: “Welshpool roundabout has food galore for pollinators & seed-eaters.

“Well done Powys County Council, more of this in future please.”

His comments sparked a debate which included a tweet by PCC’s current chairman, Cllr Beverley Baynham inviting him to see the work going on in the town to see an experiment in grass cutting.

Cllr Baynham, said: “When lockdown is over you’ll have to come to Presteigne – we’ve agreed a different grass cutting schedule with Powys County Council this year.

“It will see swathes of town verge left for nature to take its course.

“It’s a bit of a trial this year but fingers crossed.”

Mr Williams who grew up in Llanwddyn and went to Llanfyllin High School is a regular presenter on BBC’s Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch programmes.

His received comments responding to his tweet from all across the UK.

Many people tweeted their hopes back to Mr Williams that the grass verges should be left to nature and for councils would not cut them.

A council spokesman said: “We will begin cutting verges/roadsides in May.

“All verges will receive a ‘safety cut’ which means that the full width of the grass may not all be mown, as usual, but that vehicles and pedestrians will have clear visibility and access.”

A report by the Welsh Government  said the value of pollination as a contribution to the UK crop market was £430 million and the cost of hand pollination, has been estimated at £1.8 billion per year in the UK.

Wales’ environment body, Natural Resources Wales has spearheaded a  “Love Pollinators” campaign in the past.

As part of this campaign they even allowed the grass at their main North Wales office, Maes y Ffynnon in Bangor to grow wild and help pollinators.