The world’s tallest yew hedge, on the Bathurst estate in the Cotswolds, has just received its annual trim.
©Peter MacDiarmid / London News Pictures
Tidying the 300-year-old, 40ft-tall, 150ft-wide hedge is a two-man job that takes 12 days.
The clippings – this year amounting to nearly a ton – are used to produce a life-saving cancer drug called taxol.
You can visit and see for yourself – the public are welcome every day of the year at the estate and entry is free.
There are even holiday cottages on the property if you fancy a longer stay. And if you book a week in early September, chances are you’ll see the hedge-cutting for yourself.
Aerial view of the Bathurst Estate with mansion house surrounded by the world s highest yew hedge
The huge yew hedge forms a 40ft high boundary between the Bathurst Estate and Cirencester town centre
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