A FLORAL protest left on the centre of Halesowen’s ugly Grange Road roundabout must have given passing motorists a chuckle.

A miniature fir tree and some winter flowering bedding plants appeared in the middle of the mass of grey tarmac last week.

Calls for the featureless roundabout, which is major gateway from the A456 into the town, to be improved, have continued to be refused by cash-strapped Dudley Council.

Resident John Young, of nearby Grange Hill, said: “I assume the idea is to draw attention to the council’s lack of concern at the grotty, unwelcoming island.”

He added: “It was a very clever idea, because it looks so absurd, I hope it brings the point home to the council.”

But Councillor Khurshid Ahmed, cabinet member for transportation, remained unmoved.

He said he council could not afford to improve the island and pay for continued maintenance at a time when it was looking to make millions of pounds of cuts.

Cllr Ahmed added: “We decided it was best to leave it and for taxpayers money to be utilised where it is more needed.

“We want to be on people’s side, but we have to find over £32 million in savings and this is not a frontline service.”