TWO hairdressers from York are calling on their neighbour to see the light and take down the fence she has built right next to their windows.

They say the fence is completely blocking the windows of Harlands hair salon, in Hamilton Drive, Acomb.

Co-proprietor Donna Harland expressed disbelief at what had happened.

"We are just trying to make the business look nice and attract more customers," she said, "but it's like Alcatraz in here at the minute."

But the neighbour, 81-year-old Ruth Holden, says the fence - built on Wednesday - is only there to protect her privacy and keep salon smells away.

Because recently-installed double glazing at the hairdressing salon is clear glass and not frosted, Mrs Holden is claiming there has been a breach of trust.

She claims there is a 44-year-old agreement that any windows in the salon building would be frosted. She said: "There was frosted glass, bushes and a trellis fence there.

"When they changed the windows they said it would be frosted glass they put in, but it wasn't.

"They betrayed my trust."

While Mrs Holden agrees putting the fence in was drastic, she pointed out two solicitor's letters were sent to the salon before she did it.

But Donna's sister and co-proprietor, Nikki Harland, said there was no legal obligation for the windows to be frosted.

She added: "There is no salon smell. All the perm and colour solution we use is non-smell.

"It's totally ridiculous, we are so busy we hardly have time to look out of the windows."

All may not be lost between both sides, however. They have now agreed to talk about the problem once more.

Updated: 11:15 Monday, April 08, 2002