HERE is the beautiful buddleia bush that grows from the front garden of 108 Twickenham Road, Isleworth, across the pavement. It grows very quickly in the summer and for the last three to four years I have broken lumps off of it and put them back in the garden of the derelict property.

This year Hounslow Homes has renovated the property so I have phoned to get them to trim or ideally move the buddleia from the front of this garden so that it does not inconvenience pedestrians on this busy main road and pavement.

You would think I had asked for the moon. 1) On the first call I was told to speak to any workers on site to ask them to remove it. I could not be put through to anyone at Hounslow Homes. I never spotted anyone at the right time, April 2008 2) So I called Hounslow Homes again and was told in no uncertain terms that this was Hounslow Council's responsibility. I disagreed completely, called the council and they confirmed it was Hounslow Homes' responsibility. 3) I called again and left the full details with Hounslow Homes. And then a Louise Penny called and said she would have a look at the problem. 4) I waited more than two weeks, nothing happened, so I called again. The case had been closed. They reopened the case. I spoke with Louise. She said she had looked at the bush from her car and decided it was not a problem, so she closed the case. She said it is a conservation area so not easy to trim a bush. She said she had now forwarded this to the voids (empty property) team to look at or, failing that, it would be the responsibility of the tenants when they moved in.

Maybe I'm overreacting. Maybe everyone else who walks along this pavement likes getting swiped in the face by a buddleia, or ducking under it?

Maybe everyone likes getting wet when the plant has been rained on?

Maybe everyone else does not mind risking falling into the road when they avoid the stems of this plant?

Maybe everyone else likes queuing while others pass this bush?

Maybe people in wheelchairs or on walking sticks like leaves in their face?

Maybe no one gives a damn.

It's only Isleworth after all.

ROB CABLE Via email