Shock moment Storage Hunters star drives his CAR at neighbour in war over ‘communal' garden

The Sun

15-05-2025

THIS is the shocking moment a star from reality TV show Storage Hunters drove his car at a neighbour in a dispute over land.
Daniel Hill, 43, was snapped on CCTV driving his BMW at the elderly woman in her 70s in the small village of Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire, on March 9 last year.
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Hill has been " at war" with residents in the town after his request for permission to build a home was denied, following a dispute with neighbours.
The terrifying footage begins with Hill's neighbour leaving her driveway and walking into her front garden.
Then, out of nowhere, Hill's BMW appears, with the TV star driving at speed towards his stunned neighbour.
Suddenly, just as Hill mounts kerb, he slams on the brakes, coming to an abrupt stop just in front of his terrified neighbour.
Then, as dust rises up from the car's sudden braking, Hill exits the vehicle and appears to talk with his elderly neighbour as they walk towards her home.
Controversy began when Hill had acquired a plot of "communal" land in Badcock Road, which had been gardened by a woman in her 70s and her husband for 40 years – along with a second piece of land - for £18,000 in November 2023 at an auction of assets of the original estate developer who had gone into liquidation.
Hill, who appeared in all five UK series of Storage Hunters from 2014 to 2016 as a 'main buyer,' said at the time that he had 'done the deal of the century' and claimed the local residents should have ' stuck their hand in their pocket ' if they wanted the land.
He later claimed the locals had been trying to drive him away since acquiring the land and accused them of 'harassing' him and 'causing criminal damage' to his property.
But the residents countered, saying he had been 'terrorising' them with his heavy handed behaviour.
Hill was arrested and bailed by Cambridgeshire Police in December 2023, accused of harassment, criminal damage and common assault, but was released at the beginning of March 2024 without charge.
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However, Hill further entered controversy when he removed a silver birch on the land, which had a Tree Preservation Order, and submitted plans for a new house.
Neighbours inundated Cambridge Shared Planning with letters of objection, complaining it would be 'overdevelopment of the area".
They also argued it would lead to 'loss of light and overshadowing' and pose a safety risk to pedestrians and vehicles as it is on a bend.
In March 2024, Hill was denied planning permission because officers said the site was of an 'insufficient size' and in an 'inappropriate location.'
Planning officers said at the time the site was 'of an insufficient size and an inappropriate location to accommodate the minimum amount of development to facilitate a single dwelling that would meet the nationally described space standards.
The statement added: 'The introduction of any dwelling on the site would result in an undesirable form of cramped and contrived development in a prominent location that would be out of keeping with the character and appearance of the area and would give rise to harm to the amenities of neighbouring properties.'
Over the last year Hill has been spotted back at the site, dumping dozens of tyres around his land to prevent people accessing it and burning hedge cuttings.
HILL 'DELIBERATELY USED HIS CAR IN A THREATENING MANNER'
In December 2023, Mr Hill said: 'I saw this cheap bit of land at auction.
"That's how I make my money, I buy stuff cheap and try to make a profit on it.
"Originally I thought it was one of those things where it would go crazy money, it's a beautiful village here.
"I was watching the auction and it landed around the £5,000 to £6,000 mark and I thought, 'I've got to have some of this.'"
He added: "I started bidding and got it for £12,000, obviously there are fees on top, happy days, I actually thought I'd done the deal of the century.
"I was really happy with it. I come down here. I did all my research before.
"I thought there's planning policy, support planning in the area, there's no TPO's, turned up here and started cutting the trees down, then wham all the villagers came out, almost like with their pitchforks and their angry faces, 'no, no, no, you can't have this land.'
"I said, 'sorry I've bought it', I couldn't really understand what the problem was and ever since then they have been sour pusses.
"They didn't buy it. I'm not going to buy any tears, this is not a poor area.
"You've got accountants, bankers, all kids of very wealthy people here.
"If they wanted the land they should have bought it."
For his shocking driving behaviour, TV star Hill was found guilty of driving without due care and attention.
He was given nine points on his licence and was ordered to pay a £660 fine, following his sentencing at Cambridge Magistrates' Court on May 6.
PC Lazaro, from the South Cambs Neighbourhood Team, who investigated, said: 'There has been an ongoing dispute over land in Haslingfield.
"Hill deliberately used his car in a threatening manner.
"His driving fell far below that of a reasonable and competent driver.
"It's fortunate that the victim was not crashed into and
injured as a result."
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