Two men bullied an 85-year-old woman into having her trees trimmed and forced her to pay in cash, a court heard.

Jeanne Horsfall felt uneasy and intimidated by the men who called uninvited at her home at Draughton, near Addingham.

Brian Ward, 28, and Lee Howe, 30, pleaded guilty to engaging in an aggressive commercial practice.

Rebecca Brown, prosecuting for North Yorkshire County Council, said the offence was contrary to the 2008 Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.

The court heard yesterday that heavily-built Ward turned up unannounced with Howe at Miss Horsfall’s home in May last year.

She found Ward “bossy and forceful,” telling Howe: “He is a real bully.”

Miss Horsfall agreed to the initial work and allowed the men to trim more trees because she felt threatened by Ward’s physical size and manner.

She wanted to write a cheque for the £320 bill, but they insisted she went out and fetched cash, Miss Brown said.

Police officers spotted the men at the house and they were arrested.

The court heard Howe, of Cronkinson Way, Nantwich, Cheshire, had a significant criminal record for offences of violence and dishonesty.

In mitigation, Simon Gurney, representing Howe, said it was not a case of fraud. There was no suggestion the men did not do the work, did a sub-standard job or charged an unfair price.

Elizabeth Nicholls, barrister for Ward, of Cross Street West, Colne, Lancashire, said: “He is quite an imposing presence and there’s nothing he can do about it.”

The judge, Recorder Carl Gumsley, said the defendants blamed one another and both should have known the trading rules.

Howe had a bad record for violence and problems with alcohol. Ward’s sheer size was intimidating and his manner overbearing.

Both men were sentenced to 26 weeks’ imprisonment suspended for 18 months. Howe’s sentence included supervision and 80 hours’ unpaid work and Ward’s 240 hours’ unpaid work.