Moment Storage Hunters star chops down 'beloved' tree in ongoing row with villagers after 'charging them £30k to park' | The Sun
THIS is the moment a Storage Hunters star chopped down a "beloved" tree in an ongoing row with villagers – after allegedly charging them £30,000 to park.
Daniel Hill, known as "Dapper Dan" on the reality TV show, denies doing anything wrong during the row.
He is accused of secretly buying up plots in Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire for £18,000.
Hill then allegedly charged his neighbours £30,000 to park outside their homes.
Locals are now fuming after Hill felled a cherry tree on the Badcock Road housing estate.
Shocking footage shows him smirking as his workmen chopped down the tree.
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A silver birch in a designated tree planting area popular with local children is expected to be felled by Hill later this week.
One resident told the Mail: "The residents are all absolutely devastated that this has happened and many have been in tears.
"A lot of our children and grandchildren have enjoyed playing there over the years."
Hill bought the vacant plots of land at an auction last month after their owner went bust.
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But locals claimed they had no idea the sale was even happening.
The Storage Hunters star reportedly wanted neighbours to pay him £576 a week for the right to park outside their homes – on spaces they have long used for free.
He also allegedly demanded £190,000 "compensation" from an elderly couple who have been growing a hedge and a willow tree on one of the plots since the 1970s.
'MOVE ON'
Hill told The Sun: "Auctions are how I make money. I buy things cheap and sell them for a profit and this deal is no different.
"These people were bidders in the same auction with the same opportunity as me.
"The fact that they were not prepared to pay what I was prepared to pay is their problem not mine.
"Yes, I have cut down the tree, the tree that I own, on the land that I own.
"I have acted within the law and I really think they need to accept this and move on."
In an earlier statement, he told the Mail: "We have always wanted to live in Cambridge. We saw a plot of land for sale online valued at £2,000.
"This included two potential building plots, roads, paths and a parking area. We bought the land for £12,000.
"Before purchasing the land we did all the checks and found that there were no restriction.
"In fact there was a planning policy that actually promoted development in the village.
"I have not held anyone to ransom, intimidated nor threatened anyone – all I have done is purchase land that was for sale."
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