Neighbours slam council after elderly couple's neglected garden was left to grow out of control for years - and now stands at 6ft high

Frustrated neighbours have slammed their council after an elderly couple's neglected garden was left to grow out of control, reaching 6ft high.

Mandy Evans, 59, moved in with her friend Fredrick Western, 71, around two years ago and found the next door garden had started encroaching into theirs.

She said she has been left feeling 'sick' at the 'disgusting' overgrown mess which now peers over their garden fence in Newark, Notts.

Pictures show the backyard jungle belonging to their neighbours, a couple said to be in their 80s, is almost completely covered by a blanket of foliage.

Ms Evans contacted Newark and Sherwood District Council to ask for their support with the situation, considering the couple is elderly and they live in a council house.

She said a team came out but had to gain access from her garden as the site was impossible to walk through - and accused them of doing a 'cowboy job'.

A year and a half later, Ms Evans claims the authority has done nothing to tackle the problem garden that is affecting her own property on Staunton Road.

She was planning to change the old fence dividing the houses, but needs her neighbour's garden to be cleared before she could do any of the work.

She added: 'This whole situation is making me feel sick, I definitely feel disappointed by the council.

'Two years later it's nearly six foot high, the whole of the garden, it's disgusting.

'Something needs doing because in the end it is going to damage the fencing of ours.

'It is coming through the fencing, underneath and everything like that, it is peeping through and it is our space.

'We have got animals and brambles are very prickly.

'We have no choice but to rely on the council to do it for the tenants.'

Lee Brazier portfolio holder at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: 'At the district council we take our responsibility to our tenants extremely seriously.

'We are aware of the situation and, due to GDPR legislation, we are unable to comment on specific cases and individuals.

'As is often the case with these types of things there are some ongoing circumstances which our excellent team are supporting the tenants with.

'I am confident that our tenancy officer team are going above and beyond to support those involved.'