Swadlincote is a UK hotspot for infestations of one of the country's most destructive plants, an online tracking tool reveals.

And, with households spending more time in the garden during the Coronavirus lockdown, residents are being urged to keep their eyes peeled for the highly invasive plants.

Japanese knotweed removal company Environet UK's online 'heat' map identifies Swadlincote as a hotspot - with 85 infestations of the plant within a 4km radius of the town centre.

The tool was designed to help homeowners and potential buyers find out if the plant is growing near their property.

Introduced to Britain in the 1840s as an ornamental plant, Japanese knotweed now grows aggressively along railways, waterways and in parks and gardens across the country.

The fast-growing weed is notoriously difficult to treat without professional help and unless rooted out can block drains and undermine house foundations.

Nic Seal, founder and managing director of Environet, told Swadlincote Nub News: "Japanese knotweed has become a major problem in parts of Derbyshire, particularly in Swadlincote, Derby and Long Eaton.

"Homeowners who are spending more time in their gardens during lockdown may notice red asparagus-like shoots emerging from the ground, quickly growing into lush looking shrubs with distinctive heart shaped green leaves and pink-flecked stems.

"They may be tempted to tackle it themselves but in most cases DIY treatment attempts fail and can actually

encourage the plant to spread, so it's a job best left to the professionals.

"In most cases knotweed can still be removed during the lockdown period whilst observing social distancing rules."

Environet's guide to identifying Japanese knotweed

The easiest way to spot Japanese knotweed is from its leaves, which are heart or shovel-shaped.

But the plant looks different depending on the time of the year.

In the Spring, when it's first beginning to grow, the shoots have a red or purple colour with light green leaves starting to develop fairly early on.

In the Summer, the plant grows quite quickly and can take over parts of the garden. The stems start to resemble bamboo shoots and you might see small purple specks.

The leaves grow bigger and have distinctive ribs and veins and small, cream-coloured flowers, develop towards the end of the season.

In the Autumn, leaves start to go yellow and wilt. The plant can still grow another two or three metres if left unattended, with the stems changing to a darker brown before the plant becomes dormant in Winter.