Police seek phantom hedge trimmer

POLICE in Lincolnshire are on the lookout for a mysterious hedge trimmer, thought to be striking at night.

Officers issued a public warning after a number of garden hedges were vandalised in the village of Sudbrooke, near Lincoln.

The force said it would be monitoring the area as part of its regular patrols in case it could lead to a violent dispute if the assailant were to be unmasked.

Les Outram, 67, is one resident whose hedge was targeted twice in a week.

The retired civil engineer told The Daily Telegraph he was frustrated that police were only treating the damage as a civil matter.

The hedge outside his home was left with a large hole in it. “They told me it was not classed as criminal damage and they could not take any action as the hedge is living and it will grow back.

“It will take several years to fill such a large gap. In the meantime, every time my wife and I go out we will be reminded of what happened.” Mr Outram added: “I don’t know who it was. But I don’t think it was kids.

“This was someone who knew what they were doing – it was malicious.”

He added that no one had seen the offender, raising the prospect that they were striking at night.

A spokesman for Lincolnshire Police said: “The resident is clearly concerned about this issue.”

However, the force also said cutting someone’s hedge without permission was “unacceptable behaviour”, and a civil matter.

The spokesman added: “We are keen to speak to the person who has done this.”

Describing the damage, Mr Outram said: “There was a large circular hole a metre wide that had been cut in the side of our thuja hedge. A couple of days later, someone had another go a few metres further down.”

Neighbours also confirmed that another hedge just 150 yards from Mr Outram’s home may have been targeted too.