A married couple say they feel like they are 'living in prison' after their next door neighbour put up a huge fence. Sharon Boltwood and husband John say they couldn’t believe it when they saw the height of the new barrier at their Huddersfield home.
The 59-year-old grandmother was left in tears after realising she was no longer able to see her sister-in-law’s house across the road anymore, Yorkshire Live reports. Sharon, who has lived at the property for 25 years, said: “John and I couldn't believe it.
“When I saw what she had done I thought: 'Oh, my God. I was looking at the height of it in complete disbelief. I just couldn't believe my eyes. I said to her: 'Can you do something about the height of it, please? She said: 'Why?' I said it is blocking our view.
"I suffer from depression and I have got no friends and rarely go out apart from shopping trips so not being able to see out of our front window as we used to be able to do affects me deeply. I can't see John's sister Teresa's house across the way anymore.
"John and I are going to Kirklees Council on Tuesday morning to see if there is anything we can do about it and whether she has breached any planning regulations." John, a 65-year-old, retired builder, added: "I daren't speak to her because I worry that I would lose my head.
"It's like living in Armley Prison - we can't see anything. It's a shame because we used to be good neighbours and we've never had any problem with her and her mother before. She was very kind and brought us around some chicken that they had cooked, that sort of thing."
But the neighbour has hit back saying the fence was put up to stop her two-year-old son from running out into the road. Brushing away her own tears, the 43-year-old, who asked not to be named, said: “As far I was concerned everything was OK.
"We are good neighbours to them and the fact that they have complained in this way is really upsetting. We checked with the people who installed it and that it was OK.
"It's strange because in the past they have had horses and chickens at the back which created a problem with rats but we never complained to them about it. We have been really, really good neighbours to them.
"I would just like to add that we had many quotes for the fence, so it wouldn't have been a shock that a fence was getting put up. Both neighbours were told on each side, and neither asked about the height.
"I'm not even angry about what they have done, I am just so upset, we have been so close all these years. We have never had any problems with anything.
"They have a gate on their side of the house that's for our right of way we haven't had access to for 20-plus years That's in our deeds, which is padlocked, and we have never been given a key if there's a fire then we're done for, and if we could get past then their dogs would attack.
"And their fence around the back is higher than ours. No complaint was made by us. When we found this person to put the fence, they looked to see which height is acceptable for our area less than two metres according to Kirklees' website, local constraints on the property, planning permission.
"So when I said we've been good neighbours and never complained despite everything, it is upsetting that a fence has been put up to keep my child safe."
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