A couple embroiled in a high hedge row with their neighbours refused to have a tree cut down – because it was a wedding present.
Karen MacRae and her husband Duncan have been locked in a dispute with Malcolm and Margaret MacLeod.
The Macraes, both 51, own the hedge and a Cypress tree that separate their garden from the Macleods at their semi-detached home in Argyll.
Arguments over the trees at Ballachulish have now seen officials from the Scottish government brought in to settle the dispute.
The MacLeods claim the hedge – 34ft at its maximum height and 48ft long – has ruined their garden, blocked light and stopped them enjoying the view since it was developed in 2003.
But their neighbours denied the claims.
Highland Council visited the property last year and issued a high hedge notice ordering the MacRaes to reduce the hedge to 2.5metres in height.
However, a Scottish Government reporter will now have to settle the argument after the MacRaes took their battle to them.
The MacLeods, from East Sussex, said they bought the property as a holiday home in 1991 and have family links to the area.
They claimed hedges were planted in 2003 and merged with the existing cypress tree owned by the Macraes.
They alleged the lack of management to the hedge resulted in a significant loss of visual enjoyment and impacted severely on enjoyment of their property.
They also branded the hedge ‘overbearing and oppressive’ and said it cut out their view across Loch Linnhe and that a loss of light forced them to have the lights on all day from November to March in order to carry out daily tasks.
The MacRaes have insisted they have been unfairly treated and challenged the claims.
Mrs MacRae, a teacher, said: “We put the hedge in to stop people watching us when we were in our own garden. Their conservatory sits two metres high and anyone sitting in it was just staring at us in our property.
“It is a very difficult situation and not very pleasant.”
She added: “We consider that Highland Council’s assessment has failed to recognise that the original cypress tree is ornamental and of personal significance to us.
“The tree was bought for my husband by his father who had been advised in 1984 that he was dying of cancer. He died when my husband was 20 years old.
“Before he died, his father planted four trees in his garden – one for my husband’s mother, sister, brother and my husband himself.
“When my husband purchased the property, his mother had the tree transplanted from her garden to ours as a wedding gift.”
The MacLeods were unavailable for comment.
