"JeffK" wrote
Don't think it's drought as i water my garden regularly & they're also
well sheltered from the wind.

I think I remember someone saying something to me about a disease
effecting conifers, but i may be remembering wrong.

It doesn't look like Phytophthera to me, either

Could it be due to cypress aphid damage?
See RHS page: http://tinyurl.co.uk/3y8u

There's several conifer hedges around my way affected like this. Trouble is
once the brown patches are extensive there's not a lot you can do, because
the foliage won't usually regenerate from older wood if you cut it the dead
parts back.

--
Sue