A woman who claimed a bitter row with her neighbour over a 13ft hedge left her feeling 'bullied' has won a battle to stop it being chopped down.
Linda McKimmie, 49, owns a row of leylandii which border the house belonging to Tania Easton in West Calder, West Lothian.
The former friends have been at loggerheads over the trees, causing their relationship to have 'broken down' over the last three ye
Miss Easton successfully used high hedge legislation claiming that the bushes plunged her property in darkness and rendered her garden unenjoyable due to overhanging branches.
West Lothian Council said the trees 'adversely affected' Miss Taylor's 'reasonable enjoyment' of her house and ordered they be trimmed.
Mrs McKimmie, who bought the house six years ago, insisted she has kept the trees properly maintained and in order.
She was left devastated when officials ruled she must reduce them to a maximum height of 6ft and appealed to the Scottish Government in a bid to have the ruling reversed.
A reporter has now quashed the council decision and the hedge will not have to come down.
In a letter outlining her opposition to the move Mrs McKimmie said the situation had become so heated she now felt 'bullied' as a result of the row over the hedge.
In one letter to Miss Easton, she said: "Three years ago I sent the landscapers to your property to ask if you would Iike them to cut your side which they did at my own cost.
"Unfortunately, since then our relationship has broken down. The trees again were cut down by just over a metre last year. I will continue to consistently maintain the trees as I always have.
"I do find it strange that after 18 years and now the trees are actually being dealt with you decide you would like to make this an issue especially at a time when we are in a pandemic and quite frankly people have more important things to deal with.
"Life Is not back to normal and a vast majority of people are not back to work. We never know what others are dealing with in their lives and for this reason it Is always important to 'be kind' courteous and respectful."
A letter Mrs McKimmie sent to West Lothian Council stated: "I must admit I am starting to feel a little bit 'bullied'.
"If you had seen my house when I moved in, the garden other than the lawn had never been maintained, we have stripped and removed numerous bushes, hedges and trees over the years, painted fences etc to ensure our property is well maintained."
In her original application to the council for a high hedge notice to be granted, Miss Easton said: "In our neighbour's responses they are happy with the hedge height and not interested in any further discussions on the matter.
"The neighbours have previously employed specialised landscape gardeners, at irregular intervals, to only maintain what they feel is an acceptable height, disregarding council regulations and our expressed concerns of its impact to our property.
"The hedge is severely impacting light into my garden throughout most of the day.
"The hedge requires regular cutting back to ensure no overhanging branches, which is now physically impossible for me to continue with.
"The hedge dominates my garden, preventing my family from enjoying the space. Also, any landscaping plans I have for my garden I am unable to carry out and have had to put these on hold.
"It has damaged the slats on my fence which now need replaced."
Overturning the council ruling, government reporter Sin ad Lynch said: "Taking all matters into consideration, including the 2019 guidance, I conclude that the hedge does not have an adverse impact on the reasonable enjoyment of the neighbouring domestic property and that there is no justification for imposing an obligation on the hedge owner to reduce and maintain its height.
"I have taken all matters raised into account, however there is nothing which would lead me to alter my conclusion. I uphold this appeal and quash the notice."
