Homeowner who provoked verbal attack by tycoon for refusing to sell development strikes back in kind

A Scottish homeowner allegedly called a 鈥渧illage idiot鈥 by Donald Trump has retaliated calling the property tycoon a 鈥淣ew York clown鈥.

Michael Forbes is part of a group of local residents refusing to sell their homes to make way for Trump's controversial 拢1bn golf resort project in Scotland.

On the US TV show The Apprentice, which stars Trump, the tycoon said: 鈥淥ver the years, my representatives and I have often seen Mr Forbes and he has always been dirty, sloppy and unkempt in his personal appearance and demeanour.

鈥淲e will not be distracted by the rants of the local village idiot and intend to vigorously defend any challenge to our project. He is a loser who is seriously damaging the image of both Aberdeenshire and his great country.鈥

Forbes retaliated this week saying: 鈥淚f I am the village idiot then he must be the New York clown. He is just a child that's never grown up. I don't understand why he is getting his nappy all in a knot.鈥