It is not exactly Checkpoint Charlie in Cold War Berlin.

But a row of flower pots marking the border between the US and Canada is still provoking controversy in the communities affected.

The villages of Derby Line, Vermont and Stanstead, Quebec, had long been separated by a border that seemed to exist in name only.

But over the past decade fears about terrorism, smuggling and illegal immigration have led to increased security. Metal fences - and in the case of Church Street, flower pots - now block some roads. Residents who cross illegally face fines of $5,000 (£3,106).

The BBC's Franz Strasser reports.