Farmers warned they could be penalised for cutting hedges

Police in Mid Ulster have tonight warned that cutting any hedge from the 1 March to the 31 August can be considered a cross compliance breach and can lead to penalties unless the operation is required for the health and safety of road users.

A post on Facebook stated: “If the hedges are not causing an obstruction to movement or view then they should not be cut in the closed period.

“This is to avoid harming birds, their nests and eggs.

“You can report overgrown hedges to the DFI here: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/.../roadside-grass-cutting...”