Lord threatened with ASBO in 16-year-old hedge dispute with neighbour

With his Lord of the Manor title and grand house, Hugh Rodley might be thought to be a cut above the rest.

But his refusal to trim his leylandii hedge has, according to his neighbours, put his reputation in the shade.

One of them, Brian Singleton, says the shadow has killed garden plants and ruined his lawn and forces him and his wife Kay to switch on their lights in daytime.

Now the 60-year-old lord  -  he bought the manorial title and his real name is thought to be Brian McGough  -  could have an Anti-Social Behaviour Order slapped on him unless he gets the shears out.

The hedge was planted 20 years ago by a previous owner of Tudor Manor in Twyning, near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.

Mr Singleton had no problem with it until Mr McGough bought the house in the early 1990s.

Mr Singleton, a retired financial services manager, says he had to take legal action after his neighbour ignored repeated requests to cut it.

He first complained officially about the greenery three years ago. The authorities ordered Mr McGough to cut it right back but he merely trimmed it a little.

Now the case is to go before Tewkesbury borough council's planning committee.

Planning officers are recommending councillors to send it to a magistrates' court where Mr McGough would be dealt with under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act.

He could be fined £1,000 as well as being given an Asbo.

Mr Singleton, 73, said at his £350,000 detached home: 'Living in the shadow has been a total nightmare.

'We've tried everything to get him to cut it down a bit but he's continued to ignore us.

'Just because he is a lord he thinks he is above the law. I've had enough.'

Mr Singleton said he now suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder, a form of depression linked to lack of sunlight.

Mr McGough's solicitor David Golden said last night his client was not fit to comment, having recently spent time in hospital suffering with chest pains, but he would fight the case.

He added: 'My instructions are that he's complied with the council's requirements.'

It would not be the first gardening legal battle for Mr McGough.

In 2002 he was taken to county court over an unpaid £500 repair bill for a lawnmower.

He lost.

The legislation which lets councils force owners to cut back their leylandii came in three years ago after a Daily Mail campaign in response to a string of bitter disputes over the fast-growing conifers.