NEW weed picking workers have been employed to help the city become pesticide-free.

A team of eight people will join existing staff at Brighton and Hove City Council who are already touring the city to remove weeds by hand and with tools.

The new method is to help reduce the use of toxic herbicide Glyphosate and to encourage research into new weed control technology.

The team has already cleared Bristol Estate in Brighton of weeds and deep cleaned the pavements.

Councillor Anne Pissaridou, chairwoman of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee, said: “Stopping the use of glyphosate is a major step forward in making sure the city, its residents, wildlife and environment are all pesticide-free.

"It will always be the case that stopping the use of pesticides will mean more weeds, but this new team will control growth in the short-term while we investigate the use of new technologies.”