Alan Brunton, of Orchard Close, Chudleigh, writes:,Following last week's article in the Mid-Devon Advertiser headlined Overgrown bushes put lives at risk I wish to report that the hedge in question was cut the very next day.,This was probably not because of the newspaper coverage but more likely because Chudleigh Town Council had contacted Devon County Council Highways about the problem, and they in turn contacted the landowner whose responsibility it is to keep this hedge cut. ,However, as is often the case only half a job was completed, the landowner or contractor leaving all the cuttings strewn over the kerbside, and not at all clearing the hedge's encroachment over the pavement. ,A jogger on Monday morning had to run in the road because the path was not clear. ,So to hell with health and safety and risk assessment; I took it upon myself to clear the pavement – not a perfect job by any means but it is at least clear.,We are now waiting for the other stretches of hedgerow overgrowth on the roads into Chudleigh also being cut back.,Bureaucracy dictates that problems such as this have to be reported to Devon County Council, who in turn contact the landowner. ,He then has three weeks to comply with their request to cut his hedges. If he does not do so Devon County Council can then undertake the work and bill the landowner. ,So obsessed are the jobsworths in this country with health and safety that we cannot weed the Remembrance Garden in the town's cemetery without complying with a ridiculous risk assessment and yet a problem which is clearly a risk to life and limb, such as this gives us the headline of last week's article and can take weeks to resolve.,I have at times considered joining our town council but the restrictions one has to abide by and the bureaucracy that constantly suppresses any initiative one shows, would mean I'd barely last six months. ,I am a firm believer in just get on and do it.

MORE LETTERS IN OUR DIGITAL EDITION