OAP blocked into own garden by chain link fence over bizarre neighbour row

In an odd dispute over a piece of land measuring just 90cm wide, octogenarian David Breeze discovered his garden gate obstructed by a chain-link fence. Mr. Breeze from Reedham, Norfolk, is under the impression that this drastic action sprang out of an argument over him crossing a minuscule slice of land to access a public footpath when departing his garden, a practice he has followed for the past 23 years.

Despite efforts to contact Chris Mutten, the landowner, to clarify potential trespassing issues, Breeze hasn't had success. Mr. Breeze uses said path to reach important village locations such as the doctor's surgery and post office.

Interestingly, local villagers have expressed their discontent towards Mutten's contentious plan to place 27 new homes on the field. Troubles escalated when Breeze discovered his garden gate, leading onto the footpath, barricaded by a towering chain-link fence two weeks ago. While acknowledging that using the footpath does technically infringe on Mutten's property rights, the width of the disputed land in question is merely 90cm.

READ MORE Leicester's most confusing junction 'now more confusing' say angry residents and traders

An exasperated Breeze questioned the shrinkage of human decency: "I think the whole thing is petty - why would he do something like that? " He also revealed an unreciprocated attempt at resolution. "I offered him a letter and a licence for me to walk across the land to use the footpath and I never heard anything back," he said.

"I accept I'm trespassing but I have offered a way to get round it legally. I see him around the village and he waves and says hello. You never know what you're going to get until you speak to him. People agree with me that the whole thing is petty and I even said to him: 'If I was you and heard what people had been saying about me, I would have cried'."

Mr Breeze spoke about the escalating disagreement due to the footpath bordering a large field owned by Mr Mutten, set to be developed into 27 new houses. The developer, Badger Building, has plans to alter the footpath's route.

The former building surveyor noted: "I had no objections to the footpath and I put a gate in my fence to get to it five years ago. My grandsons use it the most, to take their bikes out into the village.

"Two years ago, two metal posts went up and I never heard anything else. Then two weeks ago, someone put up a chain-link fence across it. I thought: 'This is silly'.

"While I was away on holiday, someone came along and snipped the zip-ties and pushed it over - my neighbours didn't see who it was either. I spoke to him and he said he's not going to put it back so I see it as a surrender.

"The housing development will likely put a road through the middle of the estate and the footpath will become redundant which is a shame."

Mr Breeze stated that he would miss hearing the remarks from pedestrians about his fence, but took comfort in the fact that his hedgehogs could still navigate under it.

He quipped: "I have really enjoyed all the comments made when people walking past, it was a strange thing to see. The hedgehogs could still get into the garden as the fence wasn't put all the way to the floor - I have quite a large hedgehog population."

Efforts have been made to contact Councillor Mutten for additional remarks.