A gardener who was grassed up by a neighbour complaining about his noisy mower has been told the case has been closed.

Retired businessman Malcolm Starr uses both a petrol mower and a larger ride-on machine to trim the lawn at his home beside the A149 at Holme, near Hunstanton, and a four-acre field he owns behind the property.

But soon after he gave the grass its first cut of the year in early May, he found out he was under investigation after a complaint was lodged.

A letter from West Norfolk council warned him he was being investigated for a possible breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which protects people from noise nuisances.

Eastern Daily Press: Malcolm Starr aboard his ride-on mower, which an unknown neighbour complained aboutMalcolm Starr aboard his ride-on mower, which an unknown neighbour complained about (Image: Chris Bishop)

Now the King's Lynn-based council has said he will face no further action after all.

A spokesman said: "No evidence was offered so we have closed the case."

It had earlier insisted it had "a legal duty" to investigate noise complaints.

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Mr Starr still does not know who complained.

When queried, officials told him someone had objected to the noise produced by his ride-on machine.

Eastern Daily Press: Malcolm Starr on the ride-on tractor mower he uses to cut his fieldMalcolm Starr on the ride-on tractor mower he uses to cut his field (Image: Chris Bishop)

Mr Starr, 73, said he felt he had been "grassed up by the lawnmower nimbies".

"I feel disappointed someone who lives in the village should even think about contacting the council," he said after being told the file would be closed.

"The council need to get their facts right before they point the finger at people who can't find out who's complained about them.

"They even had to phone the complainant and ask was it my domestic mower or my tractor."

Eastern Daily Press: Malcolm Starr does not which of his neighbours, in the tiny village of Holme, complained about his mowerMalcolm Starr does not which of his neighbours, in the tiny village of Holme, complained about his mower (Image: Chris Bishop)

Mr Starr was even warned sound monitoring equipment could be installed by the council to monitor his mowing if "an informal solution" could not be found.

Legislation does not specify legal limits of noise, although mowers commonly emit up to 90DB.

Environmental health officials are instead required to investigate whether it is "unreasonable" or may "substantially interfere" with neighbours.