TENANTS told they needed to pay cash so a nearby hedge could be trimmed are now celebrating after they managed to get the work cancelled.

Cottsway social housing tenants in Cogges, Witney, were asked to pay £25 towards the work while their homeowner neighbours did not have to pay a penny.

But residents complained and said the hedge didn’t even need cutting.

After the housing association received lots of complaints from locals, head of housing for Cottsway, Rob Hawkins, said the team had decided not to go ahead with the work.

Councillor for the area Duncan Enright said it was a “victory” for residents.

He said: “I’m really pleased. They should have not been expected to pay for something that they might not even be able to see. We were making the people least able to shoulder the cost of this work pay for it.”

Chris Squire, a retired agricultural contractor, has lived in Blakes Avenue for eight years and said he had never been asked to pay for hedge trimming before.

The 67-year-old said: “I thought it was unnecessary. I was disgusted I was being forced to pay when people who owned their own homes didn’t have to.

“I don’t think it even needs to be done. It’s about 40ft tall so I guess some homes might experience some loss of light.

“But Cottsway sent a letter to houses all over the estate – some of them aren’t even near the hedge.”

Mr Squire, who lives with his wife directly opposite the hedge, is pleased Cottsway has taken the decision to not go ahead with the work.

Mr Hawkins, from Cottsway, said: “We received a request to reduce the height of a hedgerow. We approached a wider group of Cottsway customers living nearby (informing them of a cost) and have taken a decision not to go ahead with the work.

“The hedgerow has been recently maintained at Cottsway’s expense to ensure the public footpath is not encroached upon.”

District councillor Mr Enright, who lives in Newland on the estate, added the hedge was older than the estate itself.

He said: “It’s a beautiful hedge and an important wildlife feature.

“One of my neighbours came round with the letter and asked me if I thought it was fair. I didn’t think it was.

“I know the housing association is in a very difficult financial position, as most are. They are being squeezed of every penny by the government.”