Croydon Council has spent more than a month investigating whether potted plants and a hedge outside a man's flat represent a danger to the public.

Ian Dixon, the owner of a flat in a block in Violet Lane, blasted the town hall for wasting taxpayers' money on the inquiry which has seen two council officers visit his home.

About 10 years ago Mr Dixon put some potted plants and a planted a hedge at the entrance to the block. The council said it was called in when an elderly neighbour, Bernadette Byrne, fell over one of his pots and that several concerned residents had contacted them.

He has been sent two letters from the council, who claim the hedge and pots are a health and safety risk.

Mr Dixon said: "I was shocked when I received the first letter. Probably because they came out to take pictures and that someone had gone as far to report it to the council and not me.

"The plants have been there for 10 years but the council has now been out twice. It just seems a very strange use of resources to see something so simple and petty to receive such detailed attention from the council."

The letter from Angelique Patrick, a council tenancy officer, to Mr Dixon said: "As the weather is changing and the days are becoming shorter the visibility for the more elderly residents of the block will be greatly reduced.

"I do appreciate that the plants have enhanced the appearance of the block but the safety of the residents is my paramount concern."

After the first letter and a set of photographs were sent to him Mr Dixon cut the plants back to what he thought was a suitable length.

However, another letter arrived a few weeks later. It said: "Although it is clear that you have carried out some cutting back I am still unhappy with the level of the hedges underneath the railings.

"I feel that the plant pots on the left hand side of the step may constitute a tripping hazard to the vulnerable."

Mr Dixon cut the bushes back further but feels that it is completely unnecessary to remove plant pots which have been in the same location for 10 years.

However Mrs Byrne, the neighbour who said she fell at the entrance, claims they are a serious danger and should be removed immediately.

She added: "I had such a fall and ever since I have not been the same. The plants should never have been there in the first place."

A spokesman from the council said: "The council did ask this gentleman to prune back shrubs that were obscuring a handrail leading into the communal entrance of the flats. It follows a complaint from an elderly resident who fell as a result of not being able to grip the handrail.

"The council subsequently made a second request for further pruning as the handrail was still obscured. The council doesn't see elderly residents safety as a waste of resources and only wrote to this gentleman a second time because he failed to cut the plants back properly after the first request."