Fences: questions and Band 8 answers

Yes, my house has a tall wooden fence right round the back garden. It is mainly there for privacy and to keep our dog from wandering off down the street. We actually had to replace a couple of timber panels last summer after a storm blew them down.

I would say wooden panel fences are definitely the most popular, especially in residential neighbourhoods. You also see a lot of low brick walls in front gardens and metal railings near public parks. In my area, almost every terraced house has a small brick boundary out front.

Personally, I much prefer a natural hedge over a wooden fence. Even though hedges need regular trimming, they look far greener and attract local wildlife like birds and hedgehogs. My grandparents have a lovely beech hedge that gives great shade in the summer months.

Oh, definitely! When I was about eight or nine, my friends and I used to hop over the fence at the local sports field whenever our football went astray. We got told off by the caretaker a few times, but it never really stopped us.

I suppose so, yes, especially as people seem increasingly concerned about privacy and home security these days. That said, in built-up urban areas, planning regulations might limit how high people can actually build, so we might see more smart security gates instead.