This house owner also committed the crime of not renewing the surface of his driveway every 20 years.

He also allowed a TREE to grow in his rear garden - and he failed to cut back one of his neighbour's overhanging bushes.

He was threatened with a £1000 fine and/or imprisonment.

This is a north facing corner that receives little if any direct sunlight. A nearby drain seems to overflow regularly - adding to the dampness

It could be argued to be 'untidy', 'detrimental to the amenity of the area', 'overgrown' and (stretching a point) likely to attract vermin.

But are the millions of such areas in the UK all to be the subject of enforcement action under S.215 of the Planning Act by council officials who arguably should be sacked if they have nothing better to do?

The wall is covered in moss and is adjacent to a newly laid section of pavement (this was done when the pavement was widened).

The garden behind the wall is a picture of (ghastly) Britain in Bloom prissiness with every blade of grass mown to perfection - but if that is what the householder prefers then why not?

And why should his garden wall not be left to grow a thick natural covering of moss?

The moss arguably looks quite in keeping and attractive. Would pressure washed and sterilised concrete really look any better?

Leaving the moss is certainly more beneficial for wildlife - and has the added environmental benefit of not requiring energy and chemicals to be expended in its removal.

A thick layer of moss and a few weeds add to the rustic charm of these old cottages - should local councils order removal of all such material?

If it was in Chester would the local planning department order that it be pressure washed and bleached?

Devon County Council apparently no longer use weed killer when laying tarmac - which may explain why so many areas are these days ruined by weeds breaking through within a year of application.

The new section of wall was built in 2008 by Devon County Council because the old section was demolished to widen the pavement (by about six inches!).

In time, the new wall will (it is to be hoped) acquire the matured look of the old wall which surely looks so much better? This is in the 'historic' village of Sidford yet these houses are relatively new and with many 'prim and proper' gardens.

Like many others, this is coming to the end of its life and expensive repairs may be needed in a few years (or decades?)

Should this large area of moss be condemned under section 215 as 'detrimental to the amenity of the area' and be ordered to be removed?

Do zealous, officious and arguably 'surplus to real requirements' local planning officials need to be stripped of many of their powers to prevent abuses?

Should East Devon District Council order that this moss and area of weeds be sterilised - and would they order their colleagues in Devon County Council to undertake the work - or be issued with a Section 215 notice?

Councillors in Sidmouth (as elsewhere) often demonstrate their remarkably inane traits, but ordering such areas of moss to be removed would challenge even well honed stupidity to its limits!

The pavement is covered with moss and weeds and the roadway (the end of a cul-de-sac) has a liberal covering of moss and wild grasses.

Local birds probably quite like it - and it is doing no-one any harm - unless they slip down in which case Devon County Council could be liable for failing to exercise a duty of care towards users of their pavements and roads?

Or (more sensibly) should people take   responsibility for where they put their feet?

In Sidmouth, the area is entered into Sidmouth in Bloom competitions, with the various plant pots being filled with ecologically useless flowers.

What would be the point of regularly removing the moss? It would grow back again and it is useful for wildlife. The only sensible option (if it was thought really necessary to keep the moss at bay) would be to remove it, sterilise the surface and apply a sealant to prevent roots ever again getting a grip within the pores of the surface.

A strip of moss along the pavement edge outside the SeeRed author's home.

Should this be notified forthwith to East Devon District Council?

Should they prosecute Devon County Council as the Highways Authority for the area?

Yet this is typical of hundreds of miles of pavement in Devon and elsewhere.

Are such sights really so awful that they should become the subject of enforcement action by local council officials who appear sometimes to act as the agents of vexatious neighbours who have a grudge?

Old concrete, moss, a few weeds. This is so appalling and deviant that a special council meeting should surely be convened to authorise issue of a Section 215 Notice.

Local magistrates would unerringly side with the Local Authority in such a case (they probably attend the same drinks parties as senior local government officials) and so there would be little chance for justice to be done.

If you are unfortunate enough to live in Chester - this might all happen!

Back in the real world, council officials should act like proper public servants not bully boys intent on furthering vendettas in the manner of Hackney Council and the metric martyrs, for example.

The front of Farmhouse Cottage (previously a part of Warren's Farm) has been like this for hundreds of years and (with a bit of luck and if dim-witted local planning officials are kept at bay) it still might look much the same in another hundred.

It is a small area of garden that is unlike others in the immediate vicinity. It is therefore detrimental to the amenity of the area.

How could England come to such a state of dereliction? Everywhere should be sanitised to the ghastly uniformity of modern housing estates in Chester - according to Chester City Council's senior planning officer Leslie Smith, and the 'managing director' of Chester City Council, Chris Hardy.

Given that the combined salaries of these two people are probably £300,000 pa (and with gold plated pension pots to match) have neither of them anything better to do than persecute a house owner who chooses to be a little different in his style of gardening?

This mess of moss should surely be condemned by the local planning authority. The thatched roof should be replaced with new concrete tiles - or maybe with self cleaning polycarbonate?

That would surely look so much nicer?

Thick moss is growing on a garden wall adjacent to the public highway and just where dozens of rich B&B visitors will see it.

But on the other hand, maybe it looks quite nice!

Should local councils be empowered to take action over such excesses of nature or should their officials be ordered to work in the true public interest?

Even better, could we get rid of half of local government staff and put a cap of £100,000 on the salaries of people like Chris Hardy of Chester City Council?

Clearly, all this attractive vegetation must be cut back - it is surely detrimental to the amenity of the area - and the wall must be pressure cleaned to the satisfaction of a self opinionated buffoon in the local planning authority.

You know it make sense - you pay for the dim-witted, malevolent and overpaid officials who nowadays are authorised to control just about every aspect of your life.

The local planning authorities (Sidmouth Town Council and East Devon District Council) have allowed a concrete block wall to be constructed adjacent to an old stone wall - and what is more it is covered in moss.

And just look at the weeds growing out of the wall.

A similar wall in neighbouring Sidbury has recently been 'protected' because the 'weeds' (wildflowers) growing from it were found to be especially rare.

It wasn't the local council who noticed this of course (they just employ dozens of expensive environmental awareness and community development officers) - it was noticed by a local resident.

It is good to know that crime rates in Bristol are so low that the police can devote resources to heavy handed treatment of pensioners. At least the police didn't use tasers for self defence.

From an internet news item Dec 2008.