A mum has opened up about being 'inconsolable' after a cruel stranger sent her a 'vile' letter about her garden, branding it an 'absolute disgrace' and 'the worst one on the whole estate'.
Joanne Partridge was disgusted to receive the hurtful note through her letterbox, and the mystery author clearly put some serious effort into their damming claims as the letter was in a stamped envelope. The 32-year-old opened the seemingly innocent letter only to find the 'cruel' message complaining about the state of her front garden, accusing her of littering, which she denies, and boldly asking 'have you no pride?'
The vicious scrawl then went on to insist that Joanne and her husband, Andy, 34, should hire a gardener, with the writer even insisting that they would be 'sickened' by the sight of their front garden every day.
The savage letter reads: "To the occupiers, Your front garden is an absolute disgrace. I can honestly say it's the worst one on the whole of the estate.
"You should be ashamed! And what's with the litter, you have a dustbin. Your neighbour 's garden is kept very tidy they must be appalled.
"Have you no pride? I dread to think what your house must be like. If you don't have the time or inclination to do your garden then at least pay someone to tidy it up.
"I'm glad I don't live near you, it would sicken me having to look at that mess every day".
Devastated by the brutal note, Joanne, from Telford, Shropshire, said: "We're good neighbours and I'm absolutely gobsmacked. I don't know if I'll ever find out who wrote it.
"I got that letter in the post with a first class stamp. Someone's gone to the effort of doing a handwritten letter, posting it with a first class stamp, all about my front garden.
"I stood in the kitchen, read it and I sat on the floor and sobbed. I'm embarrassed to say I didn't just laugh. I cried.
The couple, from Telford, Shropshire, bought their house five years ago and started work on their front garden a couple of years back. However, they have made progress 'slowly but surely' owing to the costs and time it takes to finish the job.
Joanne explains that they were not rushing as they didn't think their garden was causing any issues - she admits that it was 'unsightly' but not 'dirty' as no rubbish was in it.
"The front was horrible - it was long wild grass and we wanted more room for our cars," she admits.
"Over time we [thought we'd] dig everything up and my husband would get the materials and have a go at block paving himself.
"We focussed on the back garden this year for our little boy and the front's been on hold for a while. It's not cheap, even doing it yourself," she added.
" It's not got rubbish in it and it's not attracting rats. There's no dirty nappies or mouldy old fridge freezers. There's nothing like that.
"I know there are worse things going on in the world but that really got me. It's so vile and to not have the courage to put who you are."
After receiving the devastating note, Joanne spent days racking her brain over who the writer could be, but she was left stuck.
She said: "I live next door to an older lady who is lovely and never in a million years would [she] do that to us. I know it's not her
"The way it's worded sounds like an o lder person to me. We've lived here quite a while and no one's ever mentioned it to me. I get on really well with my neighbours."
Certain it's not anyone she could identify easily, the mum continued: "I can't imagine it's someone who knows us personally. I don't know anyone who would want to intentionally hurt me like that and people who know me know it would really hurt me".
The mum explained that she had intended to continue the work on the front garden in the winter, but after sharing the hurtful letter on social media, she has been flooded with kind offers from strangers wanting to help.
She's overjoyed by the response, and now the family can potentially improve their front garden quicker than they'd thought.
Joanne said: "I didn't know what else to do other than put a post on Facebook. I was just shocked. I cannot believe the response.
"There were no plans to continue it this year now we're in October, Christmas is coming up and Jensen's birthday is in January, but somebody who commented on the post who has his own landscaping business is coming to look at what materials we need.
"I've had somebody who owns their own clinic offer me a free facial pamper to cheer me up.
"I've had people offering to come and help. People saying they'd come round with their boys or someone would bring a strimmer.
"A groundworker commented to say when we have the materials together he is more than happy to help Andy do it.
Speaking about the impact the letter has had on then family, Joanne said: "I just can't believe someone has gone to the effort to send that. My priorities are right and I'm not ashamed of that".
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