I paved over my lawn and chopped down a tree to turn my garden into a driveway – people hate it but I don’t care

A HOMEOWNER who sparked outrage for paving over a garden and turning it into a driveway says her haters should leave her alone.

Old photos of the Bolton bungalow showed a plot full of trees, bushes, flower beds and grass.

But just six years later, a grey concrete patio - likened to "a petrol station without the pumps" - now stands in its place.

Pictures of the transformation triggered cries of "vandalism" and the homeowner was accused of killing wildlife with the paving-over.

But speaking to , the bungy owner says the pictures make it look "a lot worse than it actually is".

She blasted: "It looks like its a massive area but its actually not.

"The tree came down because my roof was leaking in and the moss. It's been there five years before I got here. 

"I actually trimmed the tree at first but then when it was trimmed down all the birds started landing on it and then all this area below was full of bird crap. So, I can't win.

"They were also complaining about the wildlife, but I live on a main road. There's no wildlife. Just because I cut a tree down there's been a big uproar about it. For god's sake just leave me alone."

Not only did the Bolton hospital nurse tear out the garden, she also refurbished the bungalow and put in a car port.

Reacting online to the paved paradise, one woman blasted: "They changed it from cute, if a little dated, with a nice garden, to 'badly converted spa'.

"It's vandalism."

A second chimed: "I'd like to report a crime."

While a third accused her of "ecocide".

But local resident Ian Broadbent, 75, said he didn't mind what she'd done.

He explained: "It's not my choice, I like a bit of greenery but I know a lot of people don't like gardening."

Following the online onslaught, the nurse is pleading for people to "just leave me alone".

She has since put the bungalow up for sale, but fears she may struggle to shift it given the online storm is sparked.