Hello Wane,

Thanks very much indeed for your help in the uk.rec.gardening newsgroup.
It's really helpful getting a message from someone who has actually
been on the other side.

The reply from "K" is also very helpful in directing me to:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file34072.pdf

This document, and those it refers to, states that companies only have
statutory powers where a tree 1. "obstructs or interferes" with a line
and/or 2. is seen to "to constitute an unacceptable source of danger
(whether to children or to other persons)".

It seems that if I failed under either 1 or 2 above, which I thankfully
don't, then power companies have a right to make clearance of:

5.3m between climbable trees and 400kV lines

and

.8m between non-climbable trees and lower voltage lines.

Could I send you some photos and ask you to suggest the likely power of
the lines in my case? Can you give me a working email address? (If you
like, send me a private message with your email address in it. Remove
the anti-spam element from my address.)

One thing I didn't mention in my initial posting on the newsgroup is
that the tree-cutter also pointed to the stay which helps support the
pole. While the pole is on the farmer's land on the other side of the
hedge, the stay is situated on my land. Half way down the stay is a
ceramic "knuckle". This is below the top of the hedge. You can make it
out in the photo. I seem to the remember tree-cutter claimed he has a
right to create clearance of about 1 m all around this knuckle. This of
course would produce an awful U in the hedge.

I'd be grateful for any or all your thoughts on this matter.

As you say "this is not a pleasant way to go", but the option of having
such an important part of this garden hacked away is one that sickens
me. When you're lovingly tending the growth of plants and shrubs
throughout your garden and there's the possibility of a culling going on
in another part it's really frustrating.

Eddy.