Nigel Kennedy and a costly outbreak of mass wisteria

It is a plant that has come to symbolise the genteel harmony of the classic English home.

Yet the impressive wisteria adorning the exterior of Nigel Kennedy's London residence has introduced more than a little discord into his life.

The famous violinist has become entangled in a legal row with neighbours who claim the roots of the 12ft climber are undermining their house, causing cracks to appear.

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They have asked the musician to cut down the attractive plant – but he is refusing and lawyers have been called in.

After climbing from the ground, the wisteria spreads elegantly along a first- floor balcony at Mr Kennedy's North London home.

But despite its aesthetic appeal, the neighbours – Harry and Carol Montagu – say its roots have burrowed under their Victorian property causing subsidence and leaving them with a potential repair bill of £10,000.

They say the roots have already damaged drainage pipes and foundations, leading to cracking at their £1million home in Belsize Park.

Insurers for the Montagus claim the problem – first spotted in 2006 – could be solved by chopping down the wisteria, as that would kill the roots.

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But Mr Kennedy, 51, is unwilling to do that, so the wrangle has been put into the hands of solicitors.

The violinist, famed for his dazzling interpretation of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, spends much of his time with second wife Agnieszka at her home in Krakow, Poland, but often stays at the London house he has owned for about five years.

Mr Montagu, 80, said he is on good terms with Mr Kennedy, but admitted the wisteria row is a major concern.

He said: "The problem is subsidence and according to my insurers the main cause seems to be the wisteria.

"The roots have burrowed under our house, and if it continues to get worse, we could be left with a huge bill – maybe up to £10,000.

"It has become a legal matter to some extent. Although we are friendly with Nigel, the whole thing has been put into the hands of our solicitors and insurance companies.

"My company have asked for Nigel's insurers to get involved because if this problem continues, it could be they who are liable. "We want this rectified as soon as possible. They may have to underpin the house.

"The insurers want Nigel to cut down the wisteria and that is what we want as well. It is lovely, but still."

Risk assessors and tree experts have visited the Montagus' three-bedroom home, where they have lived for 11 years, and have concluded the roots of the wisteria and a nearby London Plane tree are to blame for their problem.

The Montagus' insurer Royal & Sun Alliance has written to Mr Kennedy's firm asking for the wisteria to be removed. RSA said: "We are continuing to monitor the damage, but all the evidence we have gathered show it is the wisteria that has caused this problem.

"We are pushing Mr Kennedy's insurance company on this point. So far, they are saying he is unwilling to do that but we have written to them again making our position clear."

Mr Kennedy's spokeswoman, Terri Robson, said: "This matter is being sorted out between the two neighbours."