In message et, Sally
Thompson writes

I agree with the others, that's a truly horrific story and I too would have
gone ballistic. I hope you told them that it is (I believe) against the law
to cut a hedge during the nesting season.


Unfortunately it is not against the law to cut a hedge during the
nesting season. It is an offence to intentionally damage or destroy a
nest in use or whilst being built, under the Wildlife and Countryside
Act 1981, however, 'intentionally' is the get out.

You may be thinking of Natural England's Environmental Stewardship
scheme for agricultural land which requires that hedgerows under
management must not be cut between 1 March and 31 July. From memory
there is around 178,000 Km of farm hedgerows under this requirement at
the moment which is a step in the right direction.

--
Robert