Gardener loses £lm claim for tree pruning ladder fall

A GARDENER paralysed after he fell off a ladder while trimming a multimillionaire couple’s trees to protect their tennis court from pooping birds has lost his bid for £1million compo.

- BY NEV AYLING

Barry Relph, 59, was using a mini-chainsaw while clearing branches at John and Joanna Meager's “magnificent” £2.3million home in January 2021 when he tumbled.

He claimed high-flying financier Mr Meager “was concerned about birds defecating on the tennis court while perched in the conifers”, at the sprawling gated property with a pool in Chipstead, Surrey.