A MYSTIFIED South Littleton resident has spoken out after sections of his 60-year-old hedgerow were destroyed.

David Liddle, 68, was dismayed to see swathes of mature ash and hawthorn, which act as a barrier between Cleve Road and his land, had been cut down and taken away.

And despite reporting it to police, neither Mr Liddle, nor his wife Christine, know who is responsible for the damage.

Mr Liddle, who has owned the piece of land for 30 years, said: "I will never tend this back to how it was in my life time. It is totally destroyed.

"It has really upset me. I'm 68 and I feel like it is reducing me to tears.

"If I had been approached and if they came to ask permission or whatever I could have done a better job then what has been done here. All they have left me with is the rubbish.

"It is part of our life. What I'm going to have to do is clear all this mess and try and replant with whips."

The hedgerow, some of which remains in place, stands several feet high and shields the Liddle's land from public view. However, with sections of their land now exposed, the couple are concerned they will become a target for crime and rubbish dumping.

Mrs Liddle, 68, who noticed the damage ten days ago, said: "They have taken away all our privacy and all our security. We bought the land 30 years ago and we use it has recreational land.

"Anything that we have got on the ground could just be taken because it can be seen from the road. It is just horrible."

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said officers were contacted about the incident on Monday, January 25. They said there had been theft of hard wood fencing and damage to the hedgerow in Cleve Road.

Anyone with any information about the incident should call police on 101 quoting reference number 238s of January 25.