At a time when many of us are looking forward to spending more time in the garden, one Potterton pensioner is facing another summer shrouded in darkness.
John Fraser has been locked in a dispute with his next door neighbour for years over the towering trees that cast a shadow over the rear of his property in the Aberdeenshire village.
The 76-year-old is now at the end of his tether, and is increasingly concerned about the trees being knocked over onto his home in high winds.
He got in touch with us after reading about a similar predicament in Aberdeen, which ultimately resulted in the government intervening and ordering a King’s Gate resident to chop down his 36ft leylandii under the High Hedge Act legislation.
One of the long-suffering neighbours in that case had complained about his satellite TV signal being blocked.
John claims that the hedge causing him problems is even bigger, at an estimated 40ft.
But he says the local authority has turned a blind eye to his concerns – and the former lorry driver is now demanding action be taken.
Aberdeenshire Council, however, maintains that John did not follow the correct process for taking forward a complaint about the matter.
‘You stole the sun from my yard’
The exasperated villager said: “I did everything that they asked.
“I sent letters to my neighbour like you have to in the first instance, but that never got me anywhere.
“I sent photos of the trees to the council but every time I tried to take it forward they would say they wanted something different.
“But they won’t come and see the situation for themselves, I have offered to pay £450 up front for them to come and see it.
“I sent the cheque as well, but they just sent it back to me. I have tried everything.”
‘We never see the sunlight’
He added: “We don’t get the sun around the back, and there is no point hanging out the washing.
“We just never see the sunlight.
“We might get it for a wee while in the morning and then a wee bit from 5-6pm,
“It makes life a bit hard.”
John’s property is not far off the B999 road which stretches from Aberdeen to Pitmedden, close to the corner shop in Potterton.
He has lived in the house at Panmure Gardens for about 20 years, previously operating it as a bed and breakfast.
He has garden furniture on his back patio, but more in hope than any expectation of being able to make much use of it.
John says his epileptic partner would like to sit outdoors more, but the weather has to be “really fine” before she gets any benefit of being in the back garden.
Cold shoulder from neighbour
The pensioner added: “The hedge has always been a problem, I have tried cutting it back but it’s too high for me to do anything with it now.
“I have offered to help my neighbour with it, I am willing to compromise and be friendly about it but for some reason she hasn’t taken to me at all.
“But I really do want something done now, it’s becoming a danger.
“If that was to fall on my house it would cause some real damage. Even if we got half of them clipped, that would make me happy.”
An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said: “Mr Fraser did communicate with our planning service with regards to the hedge and did submit a formal notice in 2018 in line with the High Hedges legislation.
“The notice, however, was never validated and was therefore returned to Mr Fraser.
“Mr Fraser would need to re-submit the High Hedges Notice with the correct information before the council can consider the issue.”
John’s neighbour declined to comment.