Pensioner ordered to stop mowing grass because it's too tidy

A pensioner has been ordered by his council to stop mowing the grass outside his home because it makes the road look too tidy.

Brian Hubbard has regularly cut and weeded the small patch of grass outside his three-bedroom home since he moved in four years ago.

He also picks up any litter, rakes the leaves and cleans up after the council contractors have left their grass cuttings.



But he has received a letter accusing him of "encroaching" on council land and been told that he must stop tending to the grass and "return the area to its original state within 28 days" or the work would be carried out at his expense.

He said: "I like the place to be tidy and attractive and I know the council's contractors cannot do it all so I decided to help out.

"I find it grossly irritating that just because I have taken pride in the area where I live and made it more attractive I have had this threatening letter. Whoever would have thought that cultivating the grass, cutting it regularly and raking the leaves off could be described as encroachment? Do they want me to put daisies and dandelions in?"