A landlady of a Deal pub says a 14ft hedge is making life for her elderly neighbours very difficult.

Dawn James, 48, landlady of the Telegraph Pub in Hamilton Road, says a hedge that runs along the back of the properties in the street has become overgrown. Despite, contacting Dover District Council several times she claims it has not been trimmed in at least three years.

She said: “A lot of people can’t get their bins out and have to bring them round the front. They’re getting stuck in the hedge. They are supposed to cut it every two years and keep it at a six foot level.

“People have started using it as a dumping ground. An 82 year old neighbour has to pass a fridge and a bed just to get to his bins. It’s supposed to be a public right of way.”

The hedge borders a public alleyway which backs on to the allotments, where usually the council would take the bins but this hasn’t been possible for a while.

Mrs James said: “I even paid for somebody to come out and trim it so they could get to their bins. I hear people talking about it in the pub and with my neighbours, and something needs to be done.”

She said the hedge has now become a hotspot for fly-tipping, which is difficult to remove due to the overgrown hedge.

She would like to see it cut back to six feet, to make it easier for residents living there and stop others fly-tipping.

A spokesman from Dover District Council said: “We are looking into this matter.

“We would stress that if rubbish is on private land, the responsibility for clearance lies with the landowner.

“Fly-tipping is a criminal offence, and where there is evidence of those responsible for fly-tipping, we will look to prosecute wherever appropriate.”