A RESIDENT of Scotland's most prestigious street has been cleared of injuring his neighbour during the latest instalment of a bitter battle which has split the millionaires' row.

James McCaig was due to go on trial accused of injuring James O'Neil by ramming his car as he tried to go through the electric gates to his property. However, the battle between the residents of Caledonian Crescent, Auchterarder, was brought to an end when the Crown dropped the case against Mr McCaig at Perth Sheriff Court.

Mr O'Neil did not turn up to give evidence against his rival and the Crown decided to abandon the prosecution as the case is now more than 12 months old. He is understood to be abroad.

The trial was due to start yesterday and centred on a bitter dispute between warring neighbours in the prestigious crescent overlooking 2014 Ryder Cup venue Gleneagles.

McCaig – whose family have been involved in a bitter dispute over a new mansion on the street – is alleged to have flown into a rage and driven at Mr O'Neil.

Former farmer Mr McCaig, 65, had denied a charge of driving dangerously outside his home on February 10 last year.

He denied driving his 2009 Range Rover into the car being driven in Caledonian Crescent by Mr O'Neil.

Mr McCaig, Southernwood, Caledonian Crescent, Auchterarder, was accused of damaging both his own and the complainer's vehicles and injuring Mr O'Neil in the process.

Police were called to the street after workmen witnessed an incident taking place on February 10, 2012. They reported seeing an altercation after one car was parked in the street in a manner which blocked other vehicles getting past due to work going on at Mr McCaig's next-door neighbour's home.

That work, on multimillionaire Malcolm Howat's mansion, has attracted formal complaints from residents of Caledonian Crescent and rival factions have formed among the neighbours of the exclusive road.

Mr McCaig's wife Maggie has led the opposition to the extensive work on Mr Howat's property and to the work vehicles permanently parked in the road outside.