MALVERN Hills Conservators have been blasted after it "obliterated" a glow worm habitat.

Malvern man Steve Price has hit out at the organisation after the grass in Wood Street, near Guarlford, was cut even though glow worms are known to have lived in the spot for many areas and need medium length grass to survive.

It is also the creatures' mating season, and the 53 year-old says he visited the sight a few days before the cutting went ahead and saw many more glow worms than usual, indicating they had indeed bred.

He says he has visited the site since, but none can be found.

A spokeswoman for the conservators confirmed it has not returned to the site to check the glow worm's population levels since.

However, she said the organisation cuts the grass on Wood Street every year, around this time.

Mr Price, of Pound Bank Road, said: "The conservators have always been respectful to the glow worms before now.

"Usually I only see three or four up there when walking my dog, so seeing 20 recently would suggest they have mated.

"I was disgusted to see the site had been obliterated. There aren't any glow worms there now. I guess most of them are dead and the conservators have killed them all off.

"There's no consideration from the conservators, they've done what they've wanted regardless."

The grass was believed to be cut on Monday, August 3.

According to UK Glow worm Survey if the grass is too long, the males will not be able to spot a female's glow, and they will not be able to mate. It also states numbers are dwindling.

Beck Baker, community and conservation officer of the conservators, said surveys were carried out before the grass cutting, but there is no legal conservation order on the worms to protect them.

She said: "We record their numbers which are very good throughout the district and make sure we protect the species as best we can.

"We always cut the grass on this site, and it's always around this time of year, and population numbers remain good year in, year out.

"They are an important species, but they are not protected legally.We have to weigh up all the variables in terms of wildlife, time, our own aims, the needs of the area when we make a decision to cut grass.

"We finished our population survey before the grass was cut, and haven't been back to count yet. With the grass shorter, many would have gone into hiding and would be almost impossible to spot, so the count wouldn't be accurate.

"If we see the population has dipped next year, then we will change our management strategies."