Helene Ball, an 81-year-old retired teacher, has won a court battle against Derbyshire County Council after workers cemented a metal fence panel across a 3ft gap in the rear wall of her Matlock property in April 2023, blocking the gate that had provided access to her garden for years. Ball successfully proved the gate had been in use since the 1960s, establishing a right of way, and a first-tier tribunal ordered the council to pay £50,000 in costs. Here's how the dispute unfolded, and what Ball had to say about her three-year fight. The ruling has been welcomed as a hard-won victory after years of persistence.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
