Our neighbour built ‘Ugly Fence House’ sign outside our home – we were friends but huge row ended in harassment notice
A COUPLE have revealed their heartache over a row that saw their neighbour put up sign reading “ugly fence house” – with the argument ending in the cops being called in.
Roy Bentley tragically died earlier this year – with the South Wootton local having made headlines during his lifetime after becoming locked in a war over a fence with his neighbours.
The pensioner had moved with his family to the area near Kings Lynn, Norfolk, forty years ago.
It was here where the Bentleys became great friends with the family next door: builder John Laws and his wife Rita, both now 71, and their children.
The families socialised, their children played, and according to Mr Bentley, they watched each others’ family grow up “with some wonderful memories”.
But in May 2012 a tit-for-tat argument over a wooden fence put up by the Laws on the boundary with the Bentley house escalated.
It culminated in Mr Bentley erupting in full view of neighbours on the 1970s detached street.
He resorted to putting up a ten-foot long sign saying “Ugly Fence House” and began shouting abuse at them over the controversial fence.
Mr Bentley even blasted song’s including “Don’t Fence Me In” and is alleged to have played Chopin’s “Funeral March” very loudly on his car stereo.
He said at the time: “They built the fence in such an unreasonable manner and with very little negotiation – and the arguments began.
“We don’t even exchange pleasantries any more – we simply shout over the fence.
“I told them it looked hideous – like something out of Auschwitz prisoner-of-war camp. It is the ugliest fence in the parish.”
The situation escalated and in 2013 Mr Bentley was issued with a harassment notice by the police and the neighbours remained in silent conflict over the fence.
I told them it looked hideous – like something out of Auschwitz prisoner-of-war camp. It is the ugliest fence in the parish
Roy Bentley
The embittered neighbour stuck to his promise not to cause trouble and spent the last years of his life looking after his 93-year-old wife.
Mr Bentley sadly died earlier this year, bringing a closure to the extraordinary saga.
Reflecting on the row, builder Mr Laws said: “We have always maintained a silence over what happened.
“We used to get on very well – I used to do little building jobs for him. But he claimed the fence was encroaching on his land, if only by a couple of inches.
“At one stage the police put up camera up on our house to capture what was going on – Mr Bentley became quite spiteful and malicious and threatened to see us in court.
“It went on every day for a couple of years.”
‘EXTRAORDINARY SAGA’
Neighbour Helen Bensley said: “It was an extraordinary saga – all sparked off by a wooden fence.
“But it escalated and at one stage the police seemed to be here every day.
“Some people felt it was very childish that they tried to ignore each other.
“And a lot of people around here liked Mr Bentley and I am sure no-one wanted things to escalate like they did.
“The rest of us living in the road get along – it is just a shame that those two neighbours got involved in such a row over something small like that.
“And that it lasted more than a decade.”
A spokesman for Norfolk Police said in 2013: “One resident has been issued with a notice outlining why the alleged behaviour is unacceptable and may constitute an offence under the harassment act.
“There is also the possibility that continued actions may result in arrest or prosecution.”