A FUMING dad has hit back after his kids’ play area was blocked by a huge 6ft privacy fence.
Robin Willis hailed the local lads who dedicated their weekends clearing the overgrown woodland in Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran, South Wales.
The youngsters tirelessly worked to create a safe area in which to ride their bikes.
But, their fun came to a screeching halt when Bron Afon housing association closed off the area with a huge metal fence.
Officials cited allegations of vandalism and “anti-social behaviour” behind the controversial move.
Frustrated dad-of-two Robin told the South Wales Argus: “It was overgrown and full of brambles and has been for decades and a group of local kids have gone in over the last three weekends and cleared it and made a little bike track, it’s only 200 or 300 yards.
“The area was overgrown and people have used it for a shortcut and the boys have cleared rubbish out of there.
“They had four black bags of rubbish out of there and there were cans, glass and plastic bottles.”
The resident, who has two sons aged nine and 10, had “no problem” when the “well mannered” young lads took his boys under their wing.
He even hosted cook outs for the group on Sunday and got along with the other parents.
But, Bron Afonshut off the popular spot on Monday this week after “concerned local residents groups” complained about the creation of ramps.
They said “severe damage” had been done to the woodland as bark was stripped from older trees.
Officials were concerned bike riding and “associated activities” without “proper planning” could lead to “negative consequences”.
The housing association claimed manmade dirt mounds could disturb the “delicate eco system of the ancient woodland” and “disrupt natural processes”.
Bron Afon also alleged grounds maintenance teams had to remove “large amounts of litter (bottle, cans and other litter)” from the area.
They said there was “no evidence of any being cleared” by the people using it.
A spokesman said: “The woodland is part of a regular inspection regime carried out by Bron Afon and regular woodland management has been carried out by Bron Afon and local resident groups over the past five to 10 years to encourage natural regeneration and growth of wild flowers, especially the bluebells.”
Bron Afon housing association has been contacted for comment.
By Andrew Young
A CONTROVERSIAL mystery fence which blocked a footpath was torn down just hours later and sparked a neighbour row.
Residents of Harleston, Norfolk were left baffled when the 6ft barrier was put up at around 5pm on June 6, blocking access to the public right of way in Tudor Rose Way.
The path is used as a shortcut by hundreds of locals, many of whom shared their anger over the sudden and unexplained obstacle which blocked their way home.
But their anger was abated when, according to a witness, the fence was torn down by a mysterious bandit with a claw hammer just hours after it was erected.
One resident who lives nearby says she wrongly bore the brunt of some of the local ire and was called a “fascist” by a shouting man, who presumably blamed her after the fence went up.
The mystery over its sudden appearance was solved when housing association Hastoe Housing admitted erecting it at the request of some residents to try and curb “loitering and anti-social behaviour”.
The fence, which blocked access into a large car park, was up for less than five hours before being smashed down.
Norfolk County Council bosses agreed that it should never have been built in the first place, meaning it will not be replaced.
Residents who opposed the fence are still fuming, and have branded it “a joke that shouldn’t have happened”.
