Leylandii fir have been branded a nuisance

New legislation means that people who allow "high hedges" to grow could be classed as behaving anti-socially.

Downing Street on Friday said ministers would table an amendment on the issue when the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill goes before peers next Thursday.

The Conservatives responded by saying the action was "long overdue".

Tory local government spokesman Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said: "After years of hedging their bets by the Government and with around 10,000 high hedge disputes around the country, these changes are long overdue.

"The government's shilly-shallying and reluctance to act only led to thousands of disputes simply getting out of control."

The growth of plants like leylandii has become a high profile concern in recent years amid complaints they can cause a serious nuisance.

Under the plans, local councils would be able to intervene where neighbours cannot resolve a row over a high hedge.

Graffiti comparison

Yvette Cooper, a minister in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, said: "High hedges can make people's lives a complete misery and can be just as distressing as anti-social behaviour like graffiti.

"I'm very pleased it's been possible to add this measure to the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill."

Labour backbencher Stephen Pound tried to introduce a law in June this year to allow people to have their neighbours' hedges trimmed.

That was blocked in the Commons but since then the government has been committed to acting on the issue.

On Friday Ealing North MP Mr Pound said: "I'm absolutely delighted, as are 10,000 hedge victims in the country. There's daylight at the end of the tunnel now - and no more darkness at noon for hedge victims."