Find out where to buy a strimmer here

It consists of a cutting of a cutting head at the end of a long shaft with a handle or handles and maybe a shoulder strap. The principle is that a motor drives the line by centripedal force in a fast circular motion, slicing through anything that it comes into contact with.

Strimmers are available at pretty much all DIY shops and garden centres at minimal cost. You can usually pick one up for under £30 though do bear in mind that the cheaper models may not be suitable for cutting heavy undergrowth. Good makes to look out for are Black and Decker, Bosch and Ryobi.

You can also buy strimmers from shops such as Argos and Amazon, or you can try any of the garden equipment suppliers on the Internet. You may want to also stock up on some safety equipment: goggles or a mask are useful as the blades of cut grass do tend to fly everywhere.