Google Japanese Knotweed, select the Environment Agency's site - full of info, but you will probably need a specialist company to get rid of it - it is illegal to put it out in your council recycling garden waste, cannot be put in a rubbish bin, and must not be taken to the recycling centre as its classed as an environmental hazard.

And if you decide to burn what you cut off or dig up you have to make sure that you incinerate it totally. If there are any fragments at all left they'll all grow.....

Use of a glyphosphate weedkiller (eg Roundup) now seems to be the prefered method but the Agencys do acknowledge that it will take several years to be effective.

Thanks everyone, have contacted a specialist company to use strong pesticide and take away to be incinerated and disposed of at a licensed waste site.It will take at least 3 seasons to hopefully remove all.......just think what it would be like if there were masses of it............luckily not.

I read a piece in The Daily Mail today that said someone could not borrow any money on the value of his property because there was Knotweed that could interfere the structure. Same if it is nextdoor........Scary or not?. Ask for a loan or sell in the winter.