Couple who say neighbour’s 22ft leylandii left parts of their home like ‘the Black Hole of Calcutta’ win battle to have them chopped down

• Nick and Morag Bishop’s lives ruined as dark from trees made house a ‘hazard’ 
• Daughter likened bathroom to Indian dungeon where 100 British troops died
• David and June Turso appealed saying there was ‘no loss of light in my garden’
• They lost appeal and have been ordered to cut trees back to 6.5ft by September

A couple who claimed their neighbour’s giant 22ft leylandii trees left parts of their home in Scotland like ‘the Black Hole of Calcutta’ have won a battle to have them chopped down.

Nick and Morag Bishop said their lives were being ruined by the thick row of the fast-growing evergreen tree belonging to David and June Turso in leafy Bearsden, near Glasgow in Scotland.

However, the Tursos disputed the claim arguing ‘there’s no loss of light in my garden’ in an appeal to the Scottish government.

The Bishops’ daughter, also named Morag, claimed her parent’s bathroom was so dark it resembled ‘the Black Hole of Calcutta’ they were need to keep the lights switched on throughout the year.

‘Her bathroom is like the Black Hole of Calcutta and I believe it to be a danger,’ said the daughter of Morag and Nick Bishop (pictured), also named Morag

These 22ft leylandii trees left parts of the Bishops’ home so dark it resembled ‘the Black Hole of Calcutta’

The Black Hole of Calcutta was a tiny 5.4m x 4.2m dungeon in Fort William, a British Fort in India seized by Bengal troops in 1756.

They imprisoned over 100 British soldiers and East India Company members in the cell which was so cramped only 23 survived, according to Historic UK.

The couple turned to their local council under high hedge legislation in a bid to have the trees reduced in height.

The Tursos argued there was no loss of light and the trees were a haven for wildlife and should not be touched but East Dunbartonshire Council officials ordered the trees be chopped down to 6.5ft.

The huge evergreen trees cast a shadow on the lives of Morag and Nick Bishop but David and June Turso have now been ordered to chop them down to size by East Dunbartonshire Council

The Tursos appealed the decision to the Scottish Government but have now failed to overturn it.

The Truros have been ordered to chop the leylandii to 6.5ft by September as the council said it ‘adversely affects the enjoyment of the domestic property’

In a letter to support her parents, Morag Bishop said: ‘We have over many years asked if it could be trimmed but this fell on deaf ears.

‘It is now out of control and a hazard making the side of the property so dark, when my mum has visitors and enter through her gate they have difficulty to see where to place their feet.

‘Her bathroom is like the Black Hole of Calcutta and I believe it to be a danger and why should she have to use electric light all the time?’

In their appeal document, the Tursos said: ‘The trees do not cause loss of light in my garden as they are on the west side of the garden and both properties have a south facing back garden, therefore I was never aware this was a problem.

‘The trees were planted many years ago and were never intended as hedging, they were planted at the back of the garden long before the houses were built.

‘The trees do not cause loss of light in my garden,’ June (pictured) and David Turso argued when appealing against chopping down their huge evergreen trees

‘We live in a tree conservation area so the preservation of the trees should be enforced to save and protect the trees and the wildlife habitat.’

Issuing their ruling, East Dunbartonshire Council said: ‘The council has decided that the hedge in question both constitutes a high hedge for the purposes of the act and adversely affects the enjoyment of the domestic property which an occupant of that property might expect to have.’

Government reporter Ailie Callan said: ‘I confirm the decision by East Dunbartonshire Council to issue the high hedge notice dated 25 January 2022, but vary the notice and issue a revised high hedge notice.’

The work to chop the trees down to 6.5ft is to be completed by September.

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