Home   Newmarket   News   Article

Subscribe Now

Off-duty Army officer Jamie Lawrence wages war on Newmarket's overgrown pathways




Tidying up the area near his Newmarket home has become a mission for an on-leave Army officer.

Lt Col Jamie Lawrence has been out most days tackling the nettles, weeds, and litter, on the green triangle of land outside the Canterview flats in the town's Rowley Drive before moving on to the footpath along the neighbouring school playing field fence.

“In the Army if we see that something’s not right we do something about it if we can,” said Jamie.

Lt Col Jamie Lawrence who would be happy to attract some more recruits to his tidying up mission
Lt Col Jamie Lawrence who would be happy to attract some more recruits to his tidying up mission

“There are old ladies on mobility scooters, kids on bikes and mums with pushchairs using the footpath and I reckon I’ve given them an extra two feet of pathway just by cutting back the stinging nettles which hung out over it.”

Fordham-born Jamie, who joined the Army at 16 and rose through the ranks, is based at HQ Field Army in Andover but has spent much of his time during lockdown working from home in Newmarket.

“I like to take a bit of pride in where I live and parts of Newmarket are looking unloved so I just wanted to do my bit,” said Jamie, who plans to carry on clearing the pavements towards St Mary’s Square.

“If anyone spots me out and about with my spade and bucket and dachshund Pancake and feels like lending a hand, the more the merrier.”

Read more: All the latest news from Suffolk

Read more: All the latest news from Newmarket