weed in lawn

Not sure of the weed but we use Verdone weed and feed for broad leafed things like this. It works for us.

is it plantain? Not the banana-type fruit, but broad-leaved plantain weed. We dig them out by hand, but then our 'lawn' is trashed daily by 3 little children & so holes/patches don't really matter

Agree Caz tough plantain.Scotts granular feed and weed effective as well as Owdboggy suggestion.

These are quite easy to get out, with a small bladed knife, as their roots are not long and deep.

It looks like Plantain either Greater Plantain or Hoary Plantain broad leaved weeds.

If your lawn is large and has an increasing quantity of this weed and other broad leaved weeds then I would suggest using a weed killer, in fact why not use any 'weed and feed' (any large DIY store own brands are usually just as effective grannular types have been effective for me) this will strengthen up the grasses in the lawn and aid a quick recovery of the areas where the weeds die, as you won't want more weeds appearing in thier place.

These particular weeds dislike being cut and as you will probably find the mower hardly ever cuts them as they grow their leave flat along the ground out of the reach of the mowers blades.

If you are worried about using weed and feed and have a small lawn then use a knife and slash along the leaves this will discourage the weed, or remove by hand. If you have a large lawn consider using a mechanical lawn scarifier to vertically trim the grasses and damage the weeds.

thanks everyone for all your help