A neighbour has become the first resident in East Lancashire to be ordered to chop down trees under new anti-social behaviour laws.

Pendle Council has ordered the resident in Bright Street, Trawden, to fell the fast-growing leylandii at the back of his property because they are higher than the two-metre limit set under new hedge laws.

After being called to investigate the trees, council officers decided they were so high they were affecting his neighbour's quality of life.

A national campaign group lobbying for control of problem hedges today said it was delighted with the move.

The neighbour who complained to Pendle Council about the trees told how he was forced to take action after his neighbour failed to trim the trees which blocked sunlight in to his house.

Mick Keller said when he moved to the house 10 years ago the trees were little more than saplings.

However, the 53-year-old, who lives with wife Anne, said he had been asking the neighbour to trim the trees for about five years because they had grown so tall. He also claimed the trees had previously disconnected the telephone line to his home.

Mr Keller said: "His yard is bathed in sunlight and ours is not. We are having to have the light on all the time in the kitchen.

"I wanted to discuss it. I have asked him and even wrote him a letter to see if we could sit down and talk about it because you don't get anywhere arguing.

"I don't want to fall out about it but they are higher than the house."

As part of new legislation introduced last summer under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, councils are obliged to investigate claims that hedges over two metres high are destroying the quality of life neighbours enjoy.

Anyone who fails to comply with a remedial notice saying hedges have to be pruned can face a fine of up to £1,000.

Pendle is one the cheapest local authorities in the country to complain to and charges £100-a-time to investigate complaints.

If an investigation finds hedges are having an adverse impact on neighbours, councils have the power to seek court action against the property owners.

Pendle has received two other complaints, one has been cancelled and the other is in mediation.

By comparison Ribble Valley Council has received 22 complaints despite charging £500.

Burnley, Rossendale and Hyndburn Councils ,who charge £500, have received one, three and two complaints respectively.

Blackburn with Darwen has received none.

Following the complaint made last summer Pendle Council issued an enforcement notice in December saying the owner had two months to comply.

However, this was extended after the owner said his tree surgeon had cancelled an appointment to trim the hedge.

A council spokesman said the normal procedure would be to start legal proceedings but officers had decided against it in this case as a gesture of goodwill.

He added: "An enforcement notice was served because the trees were too high and were casting shade.

"The owner rang the planning department a week before the deadline to say they had been let down by their tree surgeon.

"Considering this the council decided to reasonable and give him more time to get the work done.

"The deadline was extended until February 24 and we have been assured the job is in hand."

Nancy Webster, spokeswoman for Hedgeline, said: "It is good to hear people are getting success because at the minute we are not hearing an awful lot of successful cases, we would like to hear a few more."

When a reporter called at the hedge owner's house he was told the owner was on holiday.