A taxi driver was flabbergasted when he opened his front door to discover his lawn had been dug up.

Richard Barlow, of Osborne Close, Kidlington, was going out for his morning paper when he discovered that cable company ntl had been at work on his property - without informing him.

To his horror, Mr Barlow found the company had dug a 15ft-long, 1in-wide zig-zag trench across his front lawn to install cable to a neighbouring property.

He had heard nothing from ntl - no phone call or letter through his door to ask for permission.

Mr Barlow said: "When I saw it, I thought what the hell's gone on here?' "I was gobsmacked. First of all I thought it was vandals, but then I put two and two together because the cable van was there the previous evening.

"It's like me going round and digging up a road. It's the same sort of thing.

"What right have they got to dig my garden up?

"They should have asked my permission at least."

Mr Barlow discovered the mess early on Saturday and believes the damage must have been done some time between 6pm and 8pm the previous day.

He said that the cable had been laid under the ground but the damage to his lawn was very visible.

"At the end of the day they have damaged my property and they should never have done it."

ntl spokesman Judith Edmiston said the company was investigating the complaint.

She added: "There's a stretch of grass between the two properties and we thought the area belonged to the neighbour. That's why we put the cable in."

Mrs Edmiston said the company had arranged to visit Mr Barlow an ntl customer himself - to discuss the matter. She added: "If we have made a mistake and if anything needs rectifying we will do that and we will apologise."

The incident increased Mr Barlow's frustration with ntl which, he said, had failed to sort out problems with his own phone service for months.

He added: "I've not paid for four months because I have never had a proper service from them.

"I've made at least 30 calls to customer services, but have been repeatedly fobbed off.

"I think fair compensation would be to write off the last four months, in which I have had a substandard service."