"Robert" wrote in message

When asked about this kind act
they explained that they did not like nettles and the untidy area and that
it should be all right for us as we had another hedge which separated this
part of our garden from our property and we would not see it. The fact
that they had placed a 2 metre fence between our properties seemed to have
escaped them. (snip)
When I explained what we were trying to achieve they said 'I
suppose that means more nettles and brambles', 'you are being lazy' and
'flies come from your garden - why don't you take your grass cuttings to
the council tip'.
(snip)
I imagine that we could probably take some sort of action against them for
the 'tidying up' but I think that would be completely OTT and as I am sure
that our displeasure at this occurrence was very evident they will not
repeat their act of 'It took me nearly all day and we thought that we were
being helpful'.

Robert, I think that you are being overly generous in your assessment of
your neighbour's actions and far too temperate in your response.

If you think about it a bit more, you should be prepared for more trouble
from these neighbours. They know very well where the boundary is, they
waited till you were absent to strike and they then tried to make it all
your fault for your untidy (to them) gardening style.

These people will no doubt now be bad mouthing you left right and centre
throughout the neighborhood for your justifiable reaction to what they will
be saying was their attempt to do an act of kindness for a neighbour. This
will be an obvious lie but these people will be prepared to justify their
action as being of benefit to you. They don't care about your hurt, just
getting their own way.

These people are morally and ethically bankrupt and they are not good
neighbours. I agree with Sacha that you need to deal with them legally or
else they will think they can get away with it again and again. They will
have no qualms about launching glyphoswate bombs into you back garden and
must be convinced that future action would not be wise. Mongrels!