Residents living next to a Tesco supermarket have successfully campaigned for fencing and trees to be erected near their homes to give them more privacy.

People living in Whitehouse Avenue, Borehamwood, said the multi-million pound renovation of the Shenley Road store last year had created problems including pollution from car fumes, noise, and bright lights shining into their homes.

Irene Barker, who has lived in the street for 47 years, said: "It was horrendous. My house backs onto the car park and when it became a 24-hour store I was constantly disturbed. There was noise from car doors slamming and the clanging of trolleys. It was very stressful."

Mrs Barker hopes the construction last week of a barbed wire-topped fence and the planting of 25 trees behind Whitehouse Avenue will give residents more privacy.

Clive Hazlehurst, Tesco development manager, said the company had responded to concerns: "Alarm bells started ringing when we began the building work and realised people weren't happy. When the store was built, it wasn't as the residents had envisaged it."

Councillor Sandra Parnell, who spearheaded the campaign, added: "It's taken two years to get here and we've been successful because we just kept trying. This is a terrific solution. It's nice for something positive to come out of it and to have a happy ending."