Exclusive by Emma Kasprzak
When David Elliott returned home to his bungalow on Monday after picking up his daughter from school he found a digger ripping up the fences and bushes in his garden.
Neighbouring farmer Michael Parker had sent in a contractor to sort out a boundary dispute.
David, who lives on Lower Road, Myddle, challenged his neighbour and was told: “It’s my land, I can do what I like.”
Mr Elliott moved into the Woodlands with his wife Donna and six-year-old daughter Sophie 18 months ago and has been trying to establish legal ownership of part of his garden.
Previously the home was owned by Michael Parker’s grandmother who lived at the property for 44 years before it was put up for sale by the executors of her will.
Mr Elliott said that when he bought the property Mr Parker, from Balderton Hall, said the land belonged to his farm. But the people who sold Mr Elliott the house told him it belonged with the bungalow.
“He believes the boundary was set in the wrong place,” said Mr Elliott, “I offered him money to resolve the issue but he ignored my letter.
“The land is 16 metres by 10 feet. He’s a farmer with over 2,000 acres, it’s a postage stamp to him but it’s right under our kitchen window. It’s a real David and Goliath story in Myddle,” he added.
“There was a beautiful acer which was probably established by his grandmother, which has been torn up.”
When he discovered the digger in his garden Mr Elliott contacted a solicitor in Birmingham who said the pencil lines on the deeds were very vague and could be interpreted differently but they usually go on visual boundaries.
His solicitor has advised him to contact the police if Mr Parker returns.
But Mr Parker claims the land is definitely his.
He said: “When Mr Elliott bought the property he knew this area was in dispute. The boundary dispute has since been resolved with the land registry.
“I’ve tried to be reasonable with him but he keeps using the land when he’s not supposed to.
“He had scaffolding on it so I had to do something about it. We’ve cleared it so there can be no doubt.”
