I spent 6 HOURS tidying up a hedge overhanging a pavement near my home – I wanted to help but was branded a ‘criminal’
A MAN has been branded a “criminal” after spending six hours tidying up an overhanging hedge to help locals.
Adam Myers, 22, thought he was carrying out a simple act of kindness when he chopped back grass verges on a stretch of 40mph road in the sleepy village of Broughton Moor, Cumbria.
The young lad, who has autism, jumped at the chance to fix-up the area after residents expressed concern online about walkers’ safety.
Around 10 minutes after the the chaotic bushes were strimmed and the weeds were ripped up, local cops received reports of “criminal damage”.
Adam had shared before and after pictures of his work on Facebook before being hit with backlash from the parish council.
A member of the community group commented on Adam’s post telling him he had broken the law and carried out an act of criminal damage.
Adam’s dad Ian Myers said the “ill-judged” comment and criticism “really dented Adam’s confidence”.
Ian said: “[Adam] was expecting people to be thankful and, yet, comment number one on there was something quite negative.
“Unfortunately, with Adam being autistic, he focuses in on that negative comment and it is very, very difficult for him to see beyond that.
“I even helped him clean up and make sure everything was tidy, and now I have spent three or four days of this working week worrying about Adam’s wellbeing.
“The reaction from Parish Council was horrendous.”
Ian added the parish council “pulled the rug out from underneath” Adam after he simply “took some initiative to help the community”.
Cumbria Police said it had received two reports about the grass cutting.
The force said no further action was being taken as it is a civil matter.
Broughton Moor Parish Council has since said it ceases to exist after receiving a “campaign of hate” when locals discovered Adam had been reported.
In a statement on its website said: “Following an orchestrated campaign of bullying and abuse, both online and in person, against the members of the parish council and the clerk, Broughton Moor no longer has a Parish Council.”
It also said Cumberland Council would take over the governance of the village.
What are the rules for cutting hedges?
According to Hedge Trimming Legislation, you are permitted to trim back any branches or roots that encroach the boundary line onto your property.
You can do this manually or by using a petrol hedge trimmer or cordless hedge trimmer.
But it is an offence to cut anything back that could damage a bird’s home.
Under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it’s an offence to intentionally damage or destroy a wild bird’s nest while it is being built or in use.
That includes consciously using a hedge trimmer when there is a bird’s nest in your hedge, and in the process of doing so, causing the nest to be damaged or destroyed.