Man criticised after he cut down neighbour's tree because it was blocking driveway
A gardener has sparked mixed reactions after sharing a video in which he cut down the branches of a tree that was overhanging from a neighbour's garden.
Typically, it goes without saying that you shouldn't touch someone else's stuff without permission - let alone take a big blade to it.
However, TikToker and professional gardener @smartgarden1982 didn't hesitate to fire up the hedge trimmer and start cutting away at the branches of a tree in his video, which he shared with his thousands of followers on TikTok.
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In the clip, the gardener can be seen confidently cutting back the leaves which protruded over a fence which divided one property from another.
Standing in a driveway on one side of the fence, the TikToker cut the tree until it lined up perfectly with the dividing line, ensuring there was no overspill taking up space on the driveway where he stood.
He captioned the video, "What would you do if neighbours Tree was blocking your driveway[?]," but has received some backlash from viewers who shared their own thoughts on how to handle the matter.
One viewer wrote: "What is your problem with this little tree? We need more trees not less."
Another commented: "If it could be me i would never do that. It's just a tree beyond the fact it belongs to your neighbors [sic]."
Some TikTok users said they would have approached the neighbours before doing anything to the tree, though others argued the gardener was well within his right to tackle the branches.
In fact, in the UK it is legal to cut down overhanging branches as long as you don't trespass on to the neighbour's property.
Citizens Advice explains: "If your neighbour won’t cut branches hanging over your garden, you’re allowed to chop them off - but only the bits on your side of the boundary. Check if your neighbour will let you throw away the branches - legally they own them."
Responding to the gardener's video, one person wrote: "I would ask once or twice what we could do about it. If I get no answer I'll just cut it."
Another agreed, writing: "I literally cut them down if they don’t wanna maintain it then it’s gone I’m not there [sic] yard keeper."
The divisive video has racked up more than one million views since being shared online, and is one of many gardening videos the TikToker has shared documenting his work.
Emily Brown