In 2022, a Russian Orthodox priest bought a £470,000 home beside a woman who paid £260,000 for hers; their fight over a one-metre strip of land has led to CCTV, criminal charges and a holy-water blessing at the fence

The priest was also filmed sprinkling holy water along the fence separating their homes (Property photo: Google Maps)

A Russian Orthodox priest and his neighbour in West Yorkshire, England, are caught in a dispute over a strip of land barely a metre wide. The disagreement has resulted in police complaints, CCTV surveillance and criminal proceedings against the neighbour, although the case was later dropped. In an unusual development, the priest was also filmed sprinkling holy water along the fence separating their homes, an act his family says was intended to restore peace.The dispute involves Father Anatoli Vihrov and his neighbour, 45-year-old tax accountant Shamaem Burrows, who live in Guiseley, near Leeds. Their disagreement concerns a narrow section of land beside Burrows’ driveway and garage, with both households maintaining that it forms part of their respective properties.According to the Daily Mail, Vihrov and his wife Elena, an NHS dentist, moved into their detached house in 2022 after purchasing it for £470,000. Burrows had bought her neighbouring three-bedroom semi-detached home in 2020 for £260,000. The disagreement arose after the couple carried out work on their garden.Four years after the priest purchased the property, the neighbours are still disputing the boundary. Solicitors have become involved, both sides have contacted West Yorkshire Police, and cameras have been installed around the properties. Burrows now wants a civil court to establish who legally owns the contested land.

Two different versions of the boundary

The disagreement centres on whether the Vihrovs extended their garden into an area belonging to Burrows. She alleges that work carried out by the couple involved digging beside her garage and driveway, affecting the supporting foundations before a patio was constructed over the disputed ground.Burrows says she has property documents from 1974 that establish the boundary in her favour. She has also placed a yellow wire between the houses to indicate where she believes the dividing line should be.But the Vihrovs say her understanding of the property boundary is incorrect. They commissioned a professional survey, reportedly spending thousands of pounds, and maintain that its findings support their ownership of most of the contested strip.They also argue that the Land Registry documents cited by Burrows do not establish the precise boundary because the plans are illustrative.

How holy water became part of the disagreement

As relations between the households deteriorated, their CCTV cameras began recording incidents around the disputed area.One recording showed Father Vihrov in his religious clothing sprinkling holy water near the fence. Other footage appeared to show him moving the wooden fence and holding a saw towards a camera.For Burrows, these incidents have contributed to her concerns about the behaviour of the people living next door. “He’s been shaking the fence. He’s coming around here in full robes throwing holy water on my driveway,” she told The Sun. She also claimed that the priest’s religious position influenced how he behaved towards her.His wife, however, rejected the suggestion that the blessing was intended to frighten or upset their neighbour. “My husband was blessing that area for peace, to calm everything down and to leave everything in peace,” Elena said.She explained that religious practices are important to the family and that her husband had hoped the blessing would help bring an end to the hostility.The two households have also accused each other of using CCTV in ways that interfere with their privacy. Burrows says the cameras leave her feeling watched, while Elena alleges that cameras installed by her neighbour overlook the Vihrovs’ garden and have affected their children.

A dispute over a bush reaches the magistrates’ court

The disagreement took a more serious turn in March 2026 when Burrows was charged with criminal damage following an allegation involving a bush belonging to the Vihrovs.The case was due to be heard at Leeds magistrates’ court on September 30. However, prosecutors discontinued the proceedings because there was insufficient evidence.Burrows, who also reported being arrested on suspicion of assault and harassment, has complained to the police about her treatment.She maintains that the wider disagreement concerns her property rights and her ability to live peacefully in her home.The accountant has described the personal impact of the dispute, saying she has struggled with sleep, anxiety and emotional distress. She also reported being signed off work by her GP because of stress associated with the situation.Meanwhile, Elena says the family has tried to resolve the matter through legal channels and intends to continue following that approach. “We have tried to follow the law, and we will continue to be patient, peaceful and lawful until the end,” she said.