A leading council officer has come up with a bizarre way to keep parks looking tidy – grazing LLAMAS.

Dr Stephen Watkins, Stockport’s director of public health, suggested ‘sheep, goats or llamas could be used as an alternative to mowing’ as part of the council’s consultation to cut £1m from its parks budget.

In the report, Dr Watkins suggested: “Obviously this wouldn’t work for bowling greens or football pitches but it might work for general mowing and could free up resources to maintain more pitches and greens whilst also generating income.”

Dr Watkins later added: “Provided certain obvious practical problems could be overcome, it might be worth considering renting out grazing rights and this could add a further attraction to the park.

“Exotic but farmable animals like llamas were mentioned as they might be more attractive.

“This was far from being a recommendation – it was explicitly no more than a suggestion worthy of consideration.”

Council bosses say they will stick to traditional means of mowing grass.

A spokesman said: “The council is always open to suggestions and keen to consider new ways of delivering services.

“However, the council will not be using alternative arrangements for mowing parks and green spaces.”

Dr Watkins also suggested the council introduce community art spaces to discourage graffiti and encourage friends groups to take over the running of parks to curb vandalism.

His suggestion to claw back cash at the borough’s bowling greens – none of which cover their own costs – is to provide players with the equipment to mow greens themselves and says that by allowing some areas to go unkempt could ‘bring people closer to nature’.

He added: “It should be noted that parks in which areas are allowed to grow wild while other areas are well tended can look very attractive especially if a sharp boundary between the two makes the wild area look like a deliberate cultivation.”

The council’s savings target has now been slashed to £550,000 after public opposition. Council bosses have scrapped plans to no longer replace broken equipment, reduce litter picking and cut maintenance.