Hate campaign against Wendy house objector

FOUR YEAR OLD Jacob Heron - his birthday present is at the centre of a planning row

A next-door neighbour at the centre of a storm over the controversial Diggle Wendy house says she has been “completely broken” by taunts and death threats.

Oldham Council rejected planning permission for the 5ft 7in playhouse in the front garden of a house in Huddersfield Road, Diggle and insisted the owners take it down or appeal.

The woman who objected to the application - along with other neighbours - has since been subjected to obscene abuse on Facebook and confronted by angry locals at a public event.

She has now responded to the escalating feud: “It’s never been about the child not having a Wendy house, I’ve never objected to the structure - it could have been a shed, a kennel or anything, it’s just about the positioning.

“All he had to do was come and speak to me and I would have asked if he could put it on the other side where it wouldn’t be visible. But at no point has he approached me. It’s about courtesy to your neighbours. I can’t believe the scale it’s got to. It’s ludicrous.

“I’ve been bombarded and called a child hater. But that’s just wrong, it’s not about the young boy. I’m so upset. It has escalated to obscene proportions.

“This isn’t the first dispute we’ve had. This is the second incident of unauthorised planning after he attached his new fence to my garden wall without consulting me. Any decent person would come and say “we’re considering putting up a fence, or Wendy house,” but that’s not what he did. He thinks he’s above that.

“It could have easily gone on the other side and it wouldn’t have been in my eyeline. I just got up in the morning and it was there.”

The woman has been subjected to death threats and abuse on the Save Diggle Action Group Facebook page, with over 100 comments made.

She added: “This hate campaign is very dangerous and serious and it’s put a slight on my character. It makes you feel awful. People don’t realise the repercussions. I’m completely broken and my family are too. I want them to understand the hurt and havoc they have caused me. They’ve bombarded me for days and it’s been underhand and caused a lot of damage. I’m scared.”

The couple who erected the Wendy house have launched an online petition to save it which so far has over 1,400 signatures.