With tough guy roles in films such as Quadrophenia and Scum, John Blundell seems like he could handle anything.
But the actor has revealed he and his wife Mercina are struggling to enjoy breaks at their luxury lodge in an upmarket resort over a bitter four-year legal dispute with neighbours.
Relations with Alison and Andrew Girdiefski soured after their tiny Chinese crested dog, Ziggy, bit Mrs Blundell, leaving her with a scar on her wrist.
The dispute that spiralled out of the incident has resulted in the Blundells contacting police to claim they had been verbally abused, filmed, barked at and even had ‘Who Let the Dogs Out?’ sung at them.
But the Girdiefski’s firmly deny the claims, point out all criminal investigations have been dropped and say the Blundells remained friends with them – even inviting them to dinner – until an insurance claim over the dog bite incident faltered.
The drama has played out at Fritton Lake, near Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, which is owned by Lord Somerleyton who tried – unsuccessfully – to mediate between the warring couples.
The resort, set in 5,000 acres of countryside, has 115 lodges that sell for up to £350,000, while owners pay an £8,000 ground rent that includes access to a clubhouse with a bar, restaurant, outdoor pool, gym, tennis and volleyball courts, a shop – and a floating sauna.
Mr Blundell, 66, who has also appeared in EastEnders, The Bill, Just Good Friends and Juliet Bravo, complained: ‘We now go back to our home in Camden in London for a rest.

Quadrophenia actor John Blundell’s wife Mercina was bitten by a neighbour’s dog at the upmarket Fritton Lake resort in Norfolk, where the couple own a luxury lodge
‘This was supposed to be an idyllic holiday retreat and it has turned into a living nightmare.’
Mrs Girdiefski, a 61-year-old project manager – who has so far spent £19,000 on solicitor’s fees and expects a damages bill of up to £11,000 after admitting liability, countered: ‘We were still all happy when they were going through the pet insurance stage and there was no animosity at all at this point.
‘But when they learned that the pet insurance wouldn’t pay out to them because the incident took place inside the holiday lodge, things changed.’
She and her husband suspect their neighbours are ‘doing this for the money’ – an allegation flatly denied by the Blundells.
Ziggy nipped at Mrs Blundell on June 21, 2021, two months after she and her husband bought their lodge.
They had walked around 600ft through woodland to visit the Girdiefskis for the first time and were inside their property admiring their skylights.
The bite broke the skin on Mrs Blundell’s wrist and left her with a half-inch scar after she went to James Paget Hospital in Gorleston for treatment.
The couple subsequently made a claim on the Girdiefskis’ pet insurance but were turned down as it didn’t happen in a public place.

Dog owners Alison and Andrew Girdiefski have admitted their Chinese crested dog, Ziggy, bit Mrs Blundell but said relations between the couple’s remained amicable until her claim against them was denied by their pet insurer

Mrs Girdiefski, pictured with Ziggy, outside the lodge she and her husband own at Fritton Lake
Mrs Blundell claims bad blood developed between the couples, saying: ‘They would sneakily film us, hurl abuse at us.
‘Alison would drive past really slowly… call us all the names under the sun, trying to irk a reaction.
‘When they would go past, they would bark at us and growl, pretending to be dogs.
‘They have shown no guilt or remorse and would even sing “Who Let the Dogs Out?” as they passed.
The couple contacted Norfolk Police in April 2023 to report the dog bite and harassment, as they said the Girdiefskis were filming them at the clubhouse to contradict Mrs Blundell’s claim she had been left fearful of dogs since the attack.
Officers gave words of advice to Mrs Girdiefski and put Ziggy on the force’s register of dangerous dogs but took no further action due to the lack of evidence available after so much time had passed.
They also decided no offence had been committed in relation to filming.
A few weeks later Mrs Girdiefski was spoken to under caution by officers and issued with an Acceptable Behaviour Contract after the Blundells made a further complaint about harassment and threats to cause criminal damage.

The 115 lodges at the resort, owned by Lord Somerleyton, sell for up to £350,000 and are set in secluded locations in the 5,000-acre grounds. Owners pay £8,000 annual ground rent which gives them access to a clubhouse with a bar, restaurant, outdoor pool, gym, tennis and volleyball courts and shop

The resort is owned and run by Lord Somerleyton and his wife Lara. He tried to broker peace between the two couples but stood back when legal action was launched by the Blundells

Lord and Lady Somerleyton, who have three children, live in ancestral home Somerleyton Hall, which is a short distance from the lodges
Police concluded no crime had been committed after receiving a further complaint earlier this year – following which the Blundells to launched the civil case as they were frustrated at the lack of progress.
Mrs Blundell, who says a plastic surgeon quoted £1,500 to fix the scar on her wrist, said: ‘All we wanted was an apology. Alison has abused us so many times and even threatened to burn our lodge down.
‘At some points, I have literally broken down. We do not want animosity with anyone and this is not the retirement we want.’
The Girdiefski’s deny every claim made against them and said relations with their neighbours remained amicable for more than a year after the dog bite.
Mr Girdiefski, who works in forensic litigation, said: ‘We saw them multiple times after the incident. They were very friendly still. We even went for dinner at their lodge…
‘Suddenly, out of the blue, they were asking for our pet insurance details and told us they would be making a claim.’
Referring to the claim being turned down, his wife added: ‘From this point on things changed. We thought they were doing this for money. Why else would they be doing it?
‘We, from day one, have accepted responsibility. Our Ziggy did bite Mercina and we have never denied this.

Mr and Mrs Girdiefski have already spent £19,000 on solicitor’s fees and expect the damages they have to pay to be as much as £11,000. They said they had offered to settle out of court
‘We wanted it settled [out of court] and have made multiple attempts to settle the matter with them.’
Mr Blundell, who played ‘Daddy’ Pongo Banks in the brutal 1970s prison drama Scum and Leader of the Rockers in Quadrophenia – appearing opposite Ray Winstone in both films – added: ‘This is absolutely nothing to do with financial gain at all. It is simply about accountability.’
Lord Somerleyton, whose resort is frequented by celebrities including EastEnders stars Charlie Brooks and James Farrar and was used to film E4 reality show The Real Dirty Dancing with Anthea Turner and singer Lee Ryan – confirmed he had tried to orchestrate peace between the couples.
‘We offered to sit down and try and talk things through and settle the feud in our own family business style kind of way,’ he said.
‘But the disagreement escalated well beyond our control and, once it ended up in court, there was not much more we could have done.’
There have been several civil hearings, resulting in a judgement against the Girdiefskis.
At the latest hearing, in Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court late last month, the Girdiefskis were told a settlement figure would be decided during a hearing at Norwich County County Court later this year.

Facilities at Fritton Lake include this floating sauna. Members can also go paddleboarding or open water swimming
Mrs Girdiefski, whose principle property is in Norwich, said: ‘These sums of money are just ridiculous – the sort of money you would expect to be paying somebody who has had their face ripped off by a dog, not this mere 1.2cm cut.’
Norfolk Police confirmed they had been contacted about a number of alleged incidents including a dog allegedly being dangerously out of control and a hate crime but had not taken action.
A spokeswoman said of alleged harassment and threats to cause criminal damage between May 9, 2023, and July 7, 2023: ‘A woman was questioned under caution (voluntary police interview).
‘She was issued with an Acceptable Behaviour Contract in connection with anti-social behaviour which outlined she should not contact the victim/s.’