Beware the dangers of lawnmowers, growers told

British garden and greenhouse enthusiasts should take care when using ride-on lawnmowers after a study showed them to injure thousands of people per year.

Garden and greenhouse fans will be aware of the joys of horticulture, but a recent article has urged caution when carrying out certain activities.

According to a report in the Journal of Safety Research, using a ride-on lawnmower could be more dangerous than many imagined, BBC News reported.

It revealed that 66,000 Americans have ended up in hospital in the past five years after accidents involving the grass-cutting devices, with most injuries the result of machines flipping over or coming into contact with the blades.

More alarming still is the fact that lawnmowers claimed the lives of six people in the past 60 months.

"We all need to be careful," College of Emergency Medicine president John Heyworth told the news provider.

"The risk of getting injured is low but we are not completely risk free. We regularly see patients coming into A&E with a number of injuries as a result of gardening activities."

He added that some people suffer bad cuts from the blades, while others have managed to run over their feet.

The Royal Horticultural Society website claims that getting the cutting height and the mowing frequency right for the lawn can be important in maintaining its health.