Two women from Blackpool have vowed to chain themselves to a fence rather than let officials remove it.
Maureen Griffiths, 83, and Sarah Clarkson, 58, have both promised that they will fasten themselves to their garden fences.
The battle lines were drawn after officials gave the 83-year-old 28 days to remove the fence around her front garden because it was against the rules, she claims.
Maureen has spent a quarter of a century at Lostock Gardens, a collection of bungalows near Blackpool’s famous pleasure beach, and has become fed up of intruders who bang on her window and peer in to view her lounge.
But Maureen said officials took exception to her fence because it did not fit in with the communal gardens.
The homes are managed by Blackpool Coastal Housing on behalf of the council and the fence has remained up past the deadline.
As the layout of the garden is supposed to be communal, there are not supposed to be barriers. The housing association said they were now talking to locals about the fences.
Maureen, a rock and roll fan and life-long teddy girl, said that there was a growing issue around drug addicts wandering around at night, looking through windows.
Maureen Griffiths, 83, has promised she will chain herself to her garden fence rather than let officials remove it
Sarah Clarkson, 58, who is disabled after suffering spinal injuries in a riding accident, said that she is in a similar position
As the layout of the garden is supposed to be communal, there are not supposed to be barriers. The housing association said they were now talking to locals about the fences
She said: ‘You can be tucked in your bed at night and the next minute someone is staring at you through the glass. It’s horrible.’
The pensioner said that the fence helped deter people from venturing onto her property during the day too.
She said: ‘Before I had the fence people would just wander around my lawn. I asked one woman to move and she turned around and told me ‘f**k off.
‘That fence cost me a few hundred quid and I will not let anyone take it away. I will happily chain myself to it.
‘I grew up in the 1950s when old people were safe in their beds at night.’
Sarah, who is disabled after suffering spinal injuries in a riding accident, said that she is in a similar position to Maureen.
She said: ‘The fence makes me feel safe at night. And I won’t let them remove it. If I have to I will chain myself to it, just like Maureen. We are in this together.’
Gwen King, who also lives in Lostock Gardens, said: ‘I want a fence just like Maureen. I just don’t understand what the problem is.’
Spencer Ball, 54, who served in the first Gulf war, lives a few doors down and said: ‘There is a growing issue with drug addicts in the area’
Gwen King (centre), who also lives in Lostock Gardens, said: ‘I want a fence just like Maureen. I just don’t understand what the problem is’
Locals say a fence helps deter people from venturing onto their property
Spencer Ball, 54, who served in the first Gulf war, lives a few doors down.
He said: ‘There is a growing issue with drug addicts in the area. It’s mainly spice and weed. There all kinds of people wandering around. I have served in the Gulf and in Northern Ireland, so they don’t bother me.
‘Put it this way, if they came in my house they would regret it. And if they get into a neighbours’ house I would be straight in.’
Ron Gill, originally from Devon, said: ‘The world has gone bloody mad. Why do the council want to tear a down a little fence that makes pensioners feel safe in their homes. What will be next?’
A spokesperson for Blackpool Coastal Housing 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.’
