PENSIONER William Glover is calling for Bury Council to cut down a massive hedge which leaves his home in permanent darkness.

Eighty-two-year-old Mr Glover is forced to switch on his lights all day because his home in Bealey Drive, Bury, is blocked of all daylight.

He says a 100ft high conifer hedge has grown out of control since it was planted 15 years ago and needs to be either trimmed or cut down.

But Mr Glover claims he has been told he must pay £300 if he wants the council, which owns his home, to cut down the hedge.

His son Steven (50) said: "My father has to have the lights switched on all the time and he can't even go into his living room to read a newspaper without turning on the light. The hedge completely overlooks his home and the other flats in the street.

"My father cannot afford to pay £300 to have this hedge cut down. The land is owned by the council and they should be responsible for cutting down the hedge."

To make matters worse, Mr Glover has recently been sent a tenancy agreement which says hedges must not be taller than two-metres high.

Steven, of Inman Street, Bury, said: "I can't believe that the council would send this literature and then refuse to cut down a hedge which is much taller than their own requirements.

"There are private houses behind the hedge and we think the people living there don't want to look at council properties. It is a complete menace though and something needs to be done."

A spokeswoman for the council denied Mr Glover was told to pay £300, but said that was the amount quoted to him when he contacted a private arborist.

She said: "The council's property services department has confirmed that it has already agreed to prune the conifers by up to one-third, which will be paid for by the council.

The trees were planted by residents of privately-owned homes and we have been advised by our parks and countryside team that aggressive pruning would be detrimental to the trees and place them in danger, which is why they cannot be cut further than the promised one-third.

"We have also agreed that we will maintain the tree-pruning on an annual basis."