The second Battle of Stamford Bridge

But instead of the fate of nations, what was at stake this time was a three-foot-wide stretch of garden and the peace of mind of a group of neighbours.

It all began 16 months ago when smallholder Andrew Woodhouse decided the hawthorn hedge which separated his land from his neighbours' gardens in Stamford Bridge was, in his words, "rotten".

He had the hedge pulled up - and then had some of his neighbours' trees chopped down as well.

He claims the Leylandii - the trees made famous by the BBC programme Neighbours At War - were on his land.

Finally, Mr Woodhouse had a metal fence erected - nearly three feet on to what a judge last week confirmed was his neighbours' land.

The judge, at York County Court, ordered Mr Woodhouse to pay £2,250 damages to 73-year-old Alfred Frost, of Huntsman's Lane.

He also faces a legal bill which could run into thousands of pounds - and has had to move his steel fence back to the boundary of what the judge decided was his own land.

A jubilant Mr Frost, who claims he woke up one morning in December 1996 to find up to ten of the Leylandii at the bottom of his garden chopped down, said today he was delighted with the verdict in what he described as the second battle of Stamford Bridge.

But the former naval petty officer, who has lived in the house for ten years, admitted it was only because he was insured he was able to bring the court action in the first place. He said: "I think it's disgusting, what he did."

Mr Woodhouse, who took over the smallholding in Low Catton Road five years ago, said today he was "very surprised" at the ruling.

He insisted the hawthorn hedge had belonged to the smallholding for 100 years, and that the trees he had cut down were on his land.

He said: "We understood it to be our hedge. The judge has changed it."

Mr Woodhouse added he was considering an appeal.

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