A MALVERN man threatened to "smash" and "strangle" his elderly neighbour who had knocked on his door to complain about three bricks falling into his garden, Worcester magistrates have heard.

Robert Maycroft, who denied harassment, also branded the neighbour's 67-year-old wife a "bottle- blonde tart", prosecutor Paddy Sullivan told the court.

After a bust-up years ago the neighbours were not on speaking terms, he said.

But Maycroft, from Madresfield Road, Malvern, confronted George Evans, known as Ron, who visited him to complain that the bricks had tumbled on to his drive from the fence, where they were balanced on a piece of wood.

Referring to the incident on Friday, February 22, Mr Evans said: "He came to the door and greeted me with the most vile language."

"He told me to get off his property and said if I didn't he would smash me.

"Then he pushed me down the path with his chest and told me if I didn't hurry he would strangle me."

Maycroft, who was convicted of common assault against Mr Evans in 1998, admitted his neighbour had visited him but denied swearing or threatening him.

"I told him to do with the bricks what I had had to do with the hedge cuttings for the past 10 years, which was to throw them back over the fence," said Maycroft, who was defended by Richard Wilkes.

He also denied making threatening gestures while in his front garden to Mrs Evans, who was looking out of her window, on Saturday, March 9.

"She is vindictive and jealous of people," said Maycroft, and claimed the case had only been brought because Mr and Mrs Evans' son-in-law was a police officer.

The 52-year-old also denied yelling that Mrs Evans was a "bottle-blonde tart" on Friday, March 15, after discovering a slab was missing from on top of the fence.

"My husband and I went on to the drive after that and he said I should remember where I was brought up and it was nothing more than a slum," said Mrs Evans.

"He was venomous, really worked up."

Magistrates found Maycroft guilty and adjourned the case until Friday, August 30, for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.