Alan Radford did not think he would have to worry about maintaining the Bristol City Council-owned hedge next to his home.

At 83 years old, he was not keen on having to keep it under control himself.

But Mr Radford and his wife Peggy, 68, were forced to saw and prune it themselves, after the council ignored their months of requests to trim it back.

Mr and Mrs Radford, of Burnbush Close, Stockwood, say the hedges – some more than 15ft high – have been neglected for two years.

They say the city council fobbed off their complaints and came up with excuses not to do the work.

"It's getting ridiculous," said Mrs Radford.

"We have been on at them for months and months and they probably haven't tended to them in two years.

"There are elderly and disabled people living round here and we can't be doing it ourselves.

"My husband even attempted to saw down some of them, but he is 83.

"It's a health and safety risk and we shouldn't have to do it ourselves.

"One of our neighbours has a carer, who came out and started helping when she saw my husband struggling – we were very grateful, but that's not her job.

"We have been in contact countless times with the council but they are always fobbing us with some excuse as to why they can't come and do it, which has included birds nesting or health and safety.

"Me and my husband pay our full council tax and sometimes I wonder why, if we have to keep on and on just to get the council to provide a service that they should anyway."

Catherine Frankpitt, Bristol City Council spokeswoman, said: "We have a planned programme of works around the city.

"There have been some delays due to the wet weather over the summer but we are aiming to clear the backlog soon."