AN ANGRY twitcher has taken councillors to task for destroying habitat of an endangered bird by ordering what he says is over-zealous trimming of a hedge.

Peter Richardson told Hurworth Parish Council he was “absolutely devastated” to discover a hedge where rare tree sparrows nest had been cut back to 4ft-high - just weeks before the nesting season began.

The row has broken out after the council ordered the hedge in Westfield Drive, near Mr Richardson's house in Mowbray Drive, Hurworth, to be trimmed following complaints from other residents about over-hanging branches.

Tree sparrows are red-listed by the RSPB, meaning they are among species which are the charity’s highest conservation priority.

Mr Richardson, along with another resident, attended the parish council meeting last week to protest against any further trimming of the hedge.

Mr Richardson said he had spoken to the workmen trimming the hedge and they had advised him they were doing a minor tidy up for the council.

“When I came back home in the evening, I was absolutely devastated,” he said. “Everything had been cleared to three to four inches and we were left with a plant of stumps about three or four feet high.”

He said there had been no consultation with residents of Mowbray Drive, and the hedge housed tree sparrows, a species which has declined by more than 90 per cent since the 1970s.

“This is a real situation. I have been given a lot of pleasure from this hedgerow over the years,” he added.

Clerk Peter Allan said the land was unregistered, and people had complained about the overhanging braches, so the council had arranged for them to be cut back.

Councillor John Howard said the residents in Westfield Drive had been sent several letters, and residents in Mowbray Drive had been sent one letter.

But another Mowbray Drive resident told the council: “We had no letter about this. The only letter you could be referring to is one advising us about fly-tipping. It did not mentiona anything about trimming or coppicing.

“I think if there were substantial replanting, it would a long way to rectifing the situation.”

Coun Peter Foster said: “We have had a lot of complaints from a lot of people on the estate about the branches hanging down.

“We had to address it for everybody.”

Acting chairman Ian Holme said the council would look at replanting the area.

“In fairness, the communicatiopn should have been better. We can’t go back at the moment. It is a lesson learned.

“We have to make the best of a bad situation and look at replanting.”