MONSTER hedges would be cut down to size under plans aimed at avoiding disputes between neighbours.

The proposals being considered by the Government would give local authorities the power to intervene in disputes about overgrown garden hedges.

They may even be able to send in crews with chain saws to cut down nuisance hedges, particularly the notorious leylandii.

The fast-growing tree has been the cause of tens of thousands of disputes between neighbours, many of which end up in court.

They include John and Aline Gibbons, of Cleadon Village, near Sunderland, who are still paying off a £2,000 fine imposed two years ago for cutting branches off a neighbour's leylandii.

The law will also come too late for Edward Morton, of Tyne and Wear, who had to pay £480 damages to his neighbours in March 1998 after cutting back their leylandii hedge.

Mrs Gibbons said the new rules would probably have helped them - and their neighbours.

She said: "It's probably too late to benefit us now, but it will help other people in our situation.

"The way the law stands at the minute, nobody comes to see the trees and nobody listens to the other party. I walked into court and they just awarded the money and that was it.

"The local authority just weren't interested and nobody wanted to know."

Mrs Gibbons said she thought the law should include a height restriction for leylandii.

The plans were also welcomed by Joan Miller, of Durham City, who supports Hedgeline, a national organisation which helps people in hedge disputes.

She sorted out hedge problems with her neighbours amicably and believes arbitration is the key.

She said: "I speak to my neighbours, and I've got permission to trim the hedge.

"But I support Hedgeline because a lot of other people don't take any notice and put these hedges up for their own convenience, so I think these proposals are a step in the right direction."

Local authorities have reacted cautiously to the news, preferring to wait until their powers are more clearly defined in the law.

A spokesman for Darlington Borough Council said: "We are aware of the proposals and are awaiting further developments on how the new laws will operate.