£250K ROW OVER.. A TAP

Judge slams next-door neighbours' costly feud

- BY PAUL KEOGH

A SEVEN-year feud between neighbours that was sparked by a garden tap and has cost £250,000 has been blasted as ridiculous by a judge.

Christel Naish and Dr Jyotibala Patel have been fighting a legal battle over a few inches of land between their houses.

It began when Ms Naish, 81, claimed Dr Patel’s garden tap and pipe in the narrow gap were trespassing.

After a trial, a judge last year ruled in Dr Patel's favour on the boundary issue, leaving Ms Naish with more than £200,000 in lawyers’ bills for the case.

But Ms Naish is fighting on, despite being told the case could end up costing about £500,000.

Her appeal at the High Court is costing at least £30,000, it was said.

Her lawyers added that if her appeal succeeds it could result in another £200,000 on a second trial.

At the High Court, judge Sir Anthony Mann blasted both parties after he heard the issue that started the dispute is no longer a concern - the tap having now been removed by Dr Patel.