But first, what is Japanese knotweed? A herbaceous perennial, it's native to Japan, China and parts of Korea. It was introduced to the UK in 1825, by German botanist Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold, who was unaware of the devastating impact it would have.

According to the RHS, Japanese Knotweed has "bamboo-like canes which grow to 2.1m (7ft) tall”. These canes have characteristic purple flecks while the leaves are “heart or shovel-shaped”. Aggressive and fast-growing, the plant can grow up to 10cm a day. Classed as ‘controlled waste’ under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Japanese knotweed can quickly take over areas of land, causing damage to lightweight structures, drains and even walls.

Now, let’s reveal the 20 places in the UK where Japanese knotweed is most pervasive. Is your city or town on the list?

UK's worst Japanese knotweed hotspots revealed