Movie director asked to make cut

A comedy film director is at the centre of a row over massive leylandii bushes in the garden of his country estate.

Paul Weiland upset his neighbours by refusing to cut the hedges at his 18th Century Belcombe Court estate in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire.

The director of the movie City Slickers II said they blocked the view of a nearby modern housing estate.

But residents claim the 40-foot (12m) shrubs block sunlight from their own gardens and obstructs their view.

They want Mr Weiland to cut them to 6ft 6ins (2m).

Cut back

They are furious at a suggestion that they contribute to the £8,000 tree surgeon bill.

Now a group on the Meadowfield Estate say they will use new anti-social behaviour laws governing monster hedges to get them cut back.

The new laws were successfully used by Stroud District Council recently to resolve a 10-year dispute between neighbours.

A spokeswoman for Mr Weiland said locals were being "antagonistic" and he was keen to make concessions to keep them happy.

Retired civil servant John Higes, 74, said: "We have repeatedly asked Mr Weiland to chop them down but it's unbelievable that he wants us to pay for it. He's got houses all over the place. He probably wouldn't even notice."

West Wiltshire District Council will vote on Wednesday on how to resolve the dispute.

Mr Weiland also directed the Mr Bean television series and the Blackadder special for the Millennium Dome exhibition, Blackadder Back & Forth.