I'm Moving To Nottinghamshire When I Retire!

Because the place must be a crime-free paradise!

A retired teacher was threatened with criminal action after fallen leaves were allegedly blown onto her neighbour's drive. Lorraine Perro, 66, was visited by officers from Nottinghamshire Police who said her garden waste constituted antisocial behaviour and handed her a Community Protection Warning. Ms Perro was left so intimidated by the warning she erected netting on her property to catch any fallen leaves and bark.

Well, it seems harsh, but if her trees are causing a nuis...

Oh. 

She claimed the source of the waste is fallen leaves from trees on nearby parkland that she doesn't own.

And so she's rightly annoyed.  

Ms Perro accused Nottinghamshire Police of overstepping their powers, adding it had infringed on her liberties.

She said: 'I have no convictions and this has caused me major distress.

'We have a park area where the trees blow on to my drive and my neighbours' drives. But I'm told by the police that I am responsible.

'I asked why the police didn't give warnings to the squirrels and birds as well – the wind blows the leaves around.

'I have had to put a net up to prevent leaves being blown about. I feel terribly intimidated by this.

'My rights and freedoms are affected, as it ignores my right to have my garden the way that I want it.

'You are treated as a culprit, as if you have done something wrong and not given a chance to respond or defend yourself.

'I am sure the public would like to see a better use of police time and resources in preventing serious crime.'

Yes indeed, particularly fare dodging. But stroppy urban chip-on-shoulder customers on buses put up more of a fight than retired old ladies.  

Nottinghamshire Police have denied fallen leaves could be covered by the warning.

And now the neighbours who complained to bring about this have waded in to say this isn't about leaves at all. 

The squabbling neighbours live in near identical red brick detached homes in the leafy Nottinghamshire suburb of Eastwood. Neither the lone householder nor the couple are allowed to talk to one another or communicate in any way after signing police 'keep the peace' orders.But matters have escalated in recent weeks after the Amos's accused their neighbour - through their local community officer - of keeping an untidy front and garden with leaves and bark chippings blowing onto their drive and over their rear lawn. They also claimed her 'inconsiderate parking' meant their own car was blocked in their small drive.

Another case of people who don't get on escalating things, then? But is this really a job for police action? 

Mr Amos, 74, a retired classic car sales manager, said: 'She deserves that warning. She is the neighbour from hell.

'We've lived here for 47 years and she has made our lives hell for the past 23 years.

'She's crazy and she continues to invade our privacy and doing annoying things which are driving us mad.'

His wife, a retired customer services advisor for an insurance company, fumed: 'She's a nasty, horrible woman and we just want her to leave us alone.

'We want a quiet life, and we don't need the hassle, but we can't with her next door. She's a total nutter and I just ignore her.

'I'm glad police have given her that a warning, they had every right and it's about time, but I doubt it will stop her carryings on.'

This isn't a job for the police, this is something only an estate agent can solve. If these people can't live together one of them should move. But it's yet another indication of how the police are happy to wade in on things like this, but run a mile when confronted with organised pushback that could be considered 'racially charged'.