Shrub proves a thorny issue for vandals

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Brent council, which had been spending more than £430,000 a year scrubbing away spray paint, has trained pyracantha - also known as firethorn - up walls, delighting residents while thwarting graffiti gangs.

It can grow up to 18 feet tall, and has spiky leaves and dense thorns. The scheme has been trialled at flats in Cricklewood and Kingsbury and is likely to be extended across the borough.

Graeme Maughan, Brent graffiti board chairman, said: "Residents love the greenery, and you can't graffiti a hedge."