Man threatened with fly-tipping fine after cutting back brambles and overgrowth on council-owned land in Milton Keynes

And at least two more people say they too have been threatened for taking matters into their own hands to tackle neglected council eyesores.

Yesterday (Wednesday) we described how Debbie Miller and her partner spent lockdown clearing an inaccessible patch of wasteland outside their Fishermead home.

They cut back the overgrowth, mowed a grassy area and reused the dumped rubbish as planters and a seat to turn it into a haven for local walkers during lockdown.

But a council landscape manager visited the site after receiving a tip-off - and has now threatened legal action if the planters and seating are not cleared within 14 days. See the story here .

Today Pennyland resident Stephen Jackman said he too has incurred the wrath of council bureaucrats after he cleared an eyesore area outside his home.

Steve said: "The area outside my front door overlooks a small copse area and over the years we have lost at least 10 metres of grass due to lack of maintenance, overgrown or dead hawthorn and elderberry trees and weeds. It got so bad that you could not walk down the path without fear of getting scratched."

The trees became so big that the roots broke a sewer and Steve had to pay to get it repaired.

"Last year the council sprayed selective weed killer on the blackberry bushes and killed them all, leaving a dead tangled mess all along the hedgerow and canal. Nothing grew back and it completely destroyed the area. I asked the council numerous times for something to be done, but they did nothing."

During lockdown, Steve and his wife decided to cut back the huge tangle of dead brambles and try to return some normality to the area.

As his green bin was too small, Steve left the resulting dead wood neatly piled up for the council to chip, or to rot down so insects could nest in it.

"The area looks lovely now," he said. "Then someone complained and I got a visit from the council's landscape manager - who threatened me with fly tipping... Yet all I did was cut stuff down and leave it where it was."

Steve said neighbours have taken similar action and also face council threats,

"The situation is crazy. If you walk around where we live there are little pockets of people who have taken it on themselves to keep the trees tidy by pruning. But by the council taking this stance, it will become a total mess," he said.

Another resident, who is disabled, has told how she spent weeks cutting back brambles and overgrown bushes outside her flats in West Bletchley, near Bletchley Park.

"There are families in my block with children with nowhere to play safely so I thought I would take a few unkempt bushes out and make an area for children and adults," she said.

It wasn't a big area, but I spent weeks cutting the bushes and brambles back, having to sit while doing this. I then paid someone to take the rubbish away and then someone to dig the area out."

But once it was completed, the lady received a letter from MK Council asking her to stop and put the area back to how it was.

"I sent two emails back and I’m still waiting for a reply," she said.

The Citizen has asked MK Council to comment. We are awaiting a reply.