Holme: Gardener faces investigation over 'loud' grasscutter

But for Malcolm Starr, a trim of his lawn has left him facing an official investigation.

His local council has launched an inquiry following a complaint from a neighbour that Mr Starr's grasscutter is too noisy.

Officials say they may visit his property at Holme-next-the-Sea, near Hunstanton, to monitor the machine with sound-recording equipment.

They have warned him that if they consider the noise to be a "nuisance", he could be served with a noise abatement order, or even find himself in court.

Malcolm Starr using a ride-on mower on his four-acre field at Holme (Image: Chris Bishop)

Mr Starr says he does not know who has grassed him up to the council.

But he has been an outspoken figure in his village, where the high proportion of second homes has been a source of controversy.

He and his wife Claudia, who rent out a string of holiday lets in the area, were last year threatened with legal action by the same council after it received a complaint over a sign they had put up to promote their business without getting official permission.

At the time, Mr Starr blamed "village nimbies" and spoke out in defence of second-home owners, who he said were unfairly demonised.

Malcolm Starr does not know which Holme resident has complained about the noise from his mower (Image: Chris Bishop)

"I feel like I've been grassed up by the lawnmower nimbies," said Mr Starr, 73. "They should just get a life."

"The only time I've cut even the lawn was on a Sunday a couple of weeks back.

"I've said to the council it's a very poor show, they want to get their facts right."

Initially, he did not know if the complaint related to his regular grasscutter - with which he cuts his lawn - or the ride-on tractor mower he uses on a neighbouring four-acre field.

Officials have since told him it relates to the ride-on, which Mr Starr says has not been modified in any way.

Malcolm Starr at work on his lawn in Holme (Image: Chris Bishop)

"If it's the field, perhaps they'd rather I built houses on it."

In their letter to Mr Starr, officials have told him he is being investigated for a possible breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which protects people from noise nuisances.

The legislation does not specify legal limits of noise, with officers required to investigate whether it is "unreasonable" or may "substantially interfere" with neighbours.

They have told him they hope to resolve the complaint with an "informal solution", but if that is not successful will carry out further inquiries.

Malcolm Starr uses a ride-on mower to cut the grass in his four-acre field at Holme (Image: Chris Bishop)

"These investigations may involve visits by officers with the aim of witnessing the alleged nuisance and/or the use of sound recording equipment at the property of the person making the complaint in order to record the noise that has been reported."

Ride-on mowers typically produce noise levels of around 90 decibels.

As well as the complaint about his mower, the council has also informed Mr Starr that a complaint has also been made about the storage of fencing and pallets on land next to his property.

Mr Starr says both relate to building work currently being carried out on the house, which he has owned for 10 years.

A West Norfolk council spokesman said: "When the council receives complaints about noise or planning enforcement matters it has a legal duty to investigate and cannot comment on these while they are ongoing."