“Don’t eat the blackberries” warning issued at Caergwrle Castle

Members of the public are being warned not to eat any blackberries they may have picked in bushes around Caergwrle Castle.

Signs have gone up warning people there’s a danger of ‘herbicide poisoning’ if any blackberries are eaten.

People are being advised not to pick blackberries for at least the next four weeks.

Flintshire Council has been spraying bracken with the herbicide Asulox – a bracken specific weed killer – in a bid to control encroachment.

Bracken by its nature is an invasive species is growing over some important features of the historic site.

A spokesperson for Flintshire Council said: “Bracken management has been undertaken at Caergwrle Castle to control bracken encroachment which masks important scheduled heritage features of the site and also outcompetes other plant species leading to the loss of biodiversity.

“Selected areas have been sprayed using the selective herbicide Asulox which is the most effective method of controlling bracken and is widely used for conservation management.

The signs were put up as advisory notices. There is no danger to public health but we advise people not to pick blackberries for the next 4 weeks.”