A gardener who went viral after cutting his 10ft hedge into the shape of a middle finger says he now wants to 'burn it'. Richard Jackson first cut the bush into the crude shape as a joke with locals in the nearby pub.
However, the Warwickshire resident says the hedge has now become a “pain in the backside” - and is planning to get rid of it completely. As reported by Birmingham Live, the 64-year-old said: “I’m fed up with it, to be honest with you. I’m going to dig it up or burn it.
"People love it but I’ve had enough of it. It’s just a pain in the backside to keep it in shape. It’s like me - old and in bad shape. It’s not a statue - it grows and it’s harder and harder to keep it in shape. It’s too much trouble now. We still have folks come up to take photos but it’s past its prime.”
He said: "It all started years ago as a bit of a laugh with the locals in the nearby pub. I used to do the hedges over there and they’d give me a bit of a tease when they came out. One day I thought I’d get my own back so cut the hedge into a giant middle finger. The pub locals thought it was hilarious and it just went from there. It became a permanent fixture in the village.
“Everything was fine until I got a letter from the council saying someone had complained, saying the hedge was obscene. I was told I’d have to cut it down or modify it so it didn’t look rude anymore. I refused so they got the police involved. A policeman came out and said if they received any more complaints then I’d be instantly fined.
“He even suggested I turn it into a fist but I told him no way. I still didn’t do anything about the hedge apart from let it grow out a bit. It was all for a laugh.” Warwickshire Police confirmed an officer was sent to investigate although they had not received a direct complaint.
The village rallied around the homeowner, with a 'save the bush' campaign launched.
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