WAR is once again being waged on the whiffy weeds which have blighted Poole Park Lake in previous summers.

The harvester boats which trawled the saltwater lake cutting and clearing the weeds at the end of June are due to return on Monday and stay the week.

The unusual looking craft will set to work across the 40acre lake which has been overcome by foul-smelling rotting weeds during the hot weather in numerous previous summers.

At its worst the stench affected business and homes around the lake and made the popular park a near no-go area.

Two harvesters will be on the lake from Monday through to Friday to tackle the increasing abundance of blanket weed, tasselweeds and algae, which has become particularly prevalent in the model boating area of the lake. The council is hiring the craft at a cost of just under £5,000.

The lake has suffered with an overabundance of weed growth during the summer months for several years, which, when begin to rot, create the unwelcome smell.

Unable to treat the water with chemicals due to environmental legislation, Borough of Poole now deploys an array of environmentally friendly measures to keep the problem at bay – including the harvesters which have removed tonnes of weed in previous years.

Simon Legg, street scene operations manager at Borough of Poole, said: “We are aware that many of our residents use the park regularly, and continue to monitor the lake throughout the year with a programme of lake flushing, dye applications and barley straw to tackle the weed and ensure it is in the best condition for lake users. This work will not affect people’s enjoyment of the lake and the water-based activities available in the park are continuing as normal.”