I’ve been given 28 days to take down my fence – now I’m waiting

A pensioner from Blackpool who was given 28 days to take down a fence she put up to deter garden intruders says she is still determined to keep it – and the deadline has passed.

The four-week cut-off point is up but Maureen Griffiths, 82, of Lostock Gardens, South Shore, says she will not be moved and will even chain herself to the fence to stop it being removed.

She says she simply had enough of people strolling onto her lawn, letting their dogs do their mess without cleaning it up, banging on her window or peering in to view her lounge.

And she is being supported by her neighbours who had enough of the intruders too.

They all rent their homes from Blackpool Coastal Housing, the housing management organisation that manages almost 5,000 properties for Blackpool Council.

The ‘communal gardens’ layout of the properties means there are not supposed to be any fences at all, whether it be at the side between neighbours, or at the front of the properties.

Maureen shelled out her own money for the fence and says that while it is not high, it has deterred people from casually walking from the pavement straight onto her lawn.

She said: “The letter ordered me to take it down but the fence is needed and I am not removing it.

“We shouldn’t have to put up with that sort of thing in the first place – we pay our rent and are good neighbours.

“And I did mean it, I will chain myself to the fence if needed!”

Maureen said there had since been a consultation exercise with neighbours about the fences and she was waiting to see what would happen.

Sarah Clarkson, 58, also had a fence put up and said: “I know it’s not high but it just makes me feel more secure because of what’s been going on. If people have to step over, they’re less likely to just walk on it.”

A Blackpool Coastal Housing spokesperson, said: “Blackpool Coastal Housing is committed to providing high quality homes and communities.

“We are currently conducting a consultation exercise with the neighbourhood to fully understand the issues. Once we have received this feedback we can move forward to look at achieving a mutually satisfactory solution.”