Woman’s £173,000 home damaged by bamboo growing ‘five inches a day’
Alice Isaac, 42, says ‘the stress of my situation is making me ill.’
The stress of battling invasive and rapidly growing bamboo has pushed a homeowner almost to the brink of illness.
Financial analyst Alice Isaac, 42, bought her property in rural Gloucestershire last year for roughly £173,000.
At the time she claims not even to have noticed the bamboo growing in her neighbour’s garden.
Now, she says that the pest plant has spread so quickly it’s started actually growing into the interior of her new home, MailOnline reports.
Alice said: ‘The bamboo tendrils are growing at a rate of five inches a day.
‘Bamboo really is the new Japanese knotweed. The stress of my situation is making me ill.’
The homeowner is concerned that if the bamboo continues growing at its present rate, it may begin to affect the foundations of her house.
She says she has no quarrel with the couple renting the house next door, in the village of Littledean in the Forest of Dean.
Her problem is with their landlord, who she accuses of not taking the issue seriously.
Alice said: ‘I’ve tried to engage with the man whose bamboo has crept onto my property but he’s not treating it seriously.
‘I’m five foot nothing, if I was married to a burly wrestler he wouldn’t be behaving like this. He’s taking advantage of a single woman living on her own.’
She added: ‘I’ve sent him photographs of the bamboo growing and damaging my home. My garden wall is crumbling – I’ve sent him the screenshots.
‘I’ve done so much research and the law is on my side if plants come onto your land and do damage.
‘I hope to sort this out amicably, I didn’t want to go down the legal route but I have no choice.’
Brian Griffin, 68, who owns the house next door, told MailOnline: ‘We have had a discussion with her and set out what we can do. It’s not got into her downstairs toilet as far as I’m aware.
‘But I don’t really have any comment to make.’
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