A disabled widow feels "devastated" after being told she must fill in her beloved garden pond, following complaints from her neighbours. Audrey Whitebrook, who's son lovingly built the pond in the garden of their shared flat in Staffordshire to help his mum with her anxiety. But she was instructed it must be filled in due to safety concerns, as young children have access to the garden, according to Staffordshire Live.
"I'm really upset by it. I was devastated, I was hysterical when they told me," said 67-year-old, Audrey. She added: "I've had enough in my life to put up with and now I'm coming to the end of it, it should be peaceful and tranquil but it's more like a war zone."
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The mother-of-two, who struggles to leave her rented flat without her mobility scooter due to mobility issues, uses the pond as the place where she can to let "all of my troubles just go away".
But a spokesman for housing firm Trent and Dove, who own the flat, said they had to step in as the pond was built without permission and raises safety concerns.
Audrey admits there have been arguments over the pond, but feels she has been "victimised".
She has lived in the flat for five years, with son Ashley, who acts as her carer, and says the flats each have half of the garden.
The widow said: "My son built me a pond in my garden to allow me to sit down there when I have anxiety. Once it was finished our neighbours complained about it and now we've got to fill it in. It's caused a lot of trouble."
"I've said I'm not going to fill it in - it's not even that big. Now I've got a bad mark against my tenancy," she claimed. "I'm living on a knife edge at the moment."
Audrey added: "I don't know what to do next. I feel like I'm being victimised. I've had a solicitor's letter asking me not to make any alterations to the property or additions to the home without written consent.
"I feel terrible. I've got some little fishes and frogs in there. All that effort my son made. It really is nice and it's right down the garden where no-one can see it.
"I sit there and watch the fish and I don't want to have to get rid of the fish. This has been going on for three months and everyone I speak to thinks it's ridiculous."
The mum continued: "I feel wonderful sitting next to it, everything floats away, all of my troubles just go away. I look into the pond and there's nobody bothering me.
"My friends have got ponds and it all seems ridiculous - a solicitor's letter over a pond. I think I've been treated rather unfairly to tell the truth."
Martyn Hale, neighbourhoods director at Trent and Dove, told Birmingham Live: "We know how important outside space and making a place your own is to customers. So, our approach is very often to encourage that and allow people to enjoy their space as they wish. However, we do occasionally have to step in when there is a risk, however small, to the customer or others.
"Unfortunately, Ms Whitebrook has installed a pond, without permission, in a shared garden. Others, including very young children, have legal equal access to this garden. As there are no solid fences or agreement with neighbours about this change, we have had to listen to the concerns of other residents and the impact of their enjoyment of the space.
"On average, according to water safety professionals, five under-6s drown every year in garden ponds. Although the pond is small, we must prioritise the safety of others on this occasion and ensure they have a safe outdoor space.
"Unfortunately, Ms Whitebrook ignored our informal request to fill in the pond, and so we have had to legally write to request that she does this.
"This letter also asks that Ms Whitebrook, anyone living with her or any visitors to her home avoid any repeat of alleged anti-social behaviour which is clearly not acceptable regardless of emotion around the use of a shared garden."
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