A man who trimmed his 10ft hedge into the shape of a middle finger and gained notoriety online has become so sick of the cheeky topiary he's threatened to burn it down. Richard Jackson, 64, has had the irreverent ornament in his garden in Warton, Warwickshire, for 20 years.
During that time it became popular with social media users, who like to have their pictures taken in front of it. And the controversial bush, which needs to be trimmed about four times a year to keep it in shape, has also caught the eye of local police.
But now Mr Jackson finally wants to get rid of it. "I’m fed up with it, to be honest with you," he said.
“I’m going to dig it up or burn it. People love it but I’ve had enough of it. It’s just a pain in the backside to keep it in shape. It’s like me - old and in bad shape.”
Mr Jackson lives opposite The Office pub in Warton and the bush points straight at it. He initially created its unusual shape as a joke for pub regulars who used to tease him while he did his gardening.
“One day I thought I’d get my own back so cut the hedge into a giant middle finger," he said. “The pub locals thought it was hilarious and it just went from there. It became a permanent fixture in the village.”
From there it became "part of village folklore", according to local residents, who mobilised to support Mr Jackson when council chiefs told him to cut it down in 2012. An officer from Warwickshire Police was even sent to investigate after Richard refused to cut it down.
"A policeman came out and said if they received any more complaints then I’d be instantly fined," he said. “He even suggested I turn it into a fist but I told him no way."
Warwickshire Police confirmed an officer was sent to investigate although they had not received a direct complaint. The row led locals to form a campaign called Save The Warton Bush in support of Mr Jackson. Now villagers are considering another campaign to encourage Mr Jackson to keep it.
One said: "The bush is now a part of village folklore and must be kept for future generations to enjoy. I think most people would pitch in to keep it well maintained.
"It's become a symbol of defiance against the system and most people here would urge Richard to keep it. There are already murmurings of relaunching the Save The Warton Bush campaign to ensure it stays put."
But Mr Jackson believes it's time to move on. He said: “It’s not a statue - it grows and it’s harder and harder to keep it in shape. It’s too much trouble now. We still have folks come up to take photos but it’s past its prime."
