Gardener ordered to take down barbed wire to protect intruders
November 4th 2008 A gardener who put up barbed wire around his allotment to protect it from thieves has been told he must take it down in case intruders hurt themselves, according to news site Ananova.
Bill Malcolm erected the wire fencing to act as a deterrent after he was targeted three times in a four month period by thieves who took over £300 worth of gardening equipment and trashed his potatoe patch.
But officials from Marlbrook Council in Worcestershire who own the allotments told him he must take it down on health and safety grounds.
Outraged Mr Malcolm commented: "It's an absolutely ridiculous situation, all I wanted was to protect my property but the wire had to go in case a thief scratched himself.
"I told them to let the thief sue me so at least that way I would know who was breaking into my allotment but everything I said fell on deaf ears.
"The barbed wire was a single strand and ringing my property only. It was just three foot high and wasn't as though I'd dug a moat filled with piranha and erected six foot iron railings."
A spokesman for Bromsgrove District Council said: "With regard to the barbed wire, we are obliged to request its removal or remove it on health and safety grounds to the general public, as this is a liability issue."
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