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Councillor accused in washing line row
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| Joanne Heseltine's daughter Leah hurt her neck after cycling into Cllr John Weller's washing line at the rear of his home |
A parish councillor has sparked a neighbourhood row after a 10-year-old cyclist was injured by his washing line.
Leah Heseltine was cycling in the alleyway behind the houses, in Elmsley Street, at Steeton, when she was caught under her chin by wires and knocked to the floor.
Her mother, Joanne Heseltine, said: "Leah has a ligature mark around her neck, it is painful and sore. Thankfully, she is breathing OK or I would have taken her to hospital but she is still very distressed."
Steeton-with-Eastburn parish councillor John Weller, who lives in the street, hangs the washing lines from the back of his yard to the wall across the back road.
But Mrs Heseltine claims these are not used to dry washing and are instead aimed at preventing people from using the alleyway.
She said: "At the time of Leah's accident they were suspended approximately 3ft from the ground and he puts them up to stop children playing down there." When the concerned mother called at Cllr Weller's house to report the incident and ask for the wires to be taken down, she claims that his wife told her the alleyway was private property and children should not be playing there.
Cllr Weller said: "Kids shouldn't have been playing out at that time at a young age. It is dusk then and if they are small they shouldn't have been out.
"We have to leave the back of that street open for access for emergency vehicles and the bin men but that is like my back garden, it is my property.
"If they want kids they should look after them and make sure they are aware of where they can go.
"They should be playing on their own back street, not on my garden, I own that land."
Cllr Weller claims that his washing lines are usually around 6ft high to hang washing on and on the day of the incident he said children must have lowered them.
But Mrs Heseltine disputes this and says the washing lines are often just 3ft from the ground.
She said: "He has moved the washing lines up now but they will come back down again. I asked him if he could please take them down but he said it is private property and to mind my own business.
"It is not right that there is something there that can cause injury to children. He should be wary of them, he is our councillor.
"I don't encourage my daughter to play behind there but it is where the children play and she was just following her friends.
"It is still dangerous for the other children."
The washing lines are currently 6ft from the ground and Mrs Heseltine says that Leah is recovering and has been told not to play down the back alley of Elmsley Street again.
9:10am Thursday 1st May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Steeton resident, steeton on 5:20pm Sat 3 May 08
The back alley extends the length of Elmsley St, and is a safe area for a 10 year old resident to ride a bike. Whilst the part of the alley behind each house is the property of that particular house, the alley connects the whole street, and a bit of tolerance in the interests of communal harmony should be expected, particularly from a councillor, rather than setting up trip wires and a "get orf my land" attitude.
The back alley extends the length of Elmsley St, and is a safe area for a 10 year old resident to ride a bike. Whilst the part of the alley behind each house is the property of that particular house, the alley connects the whole street, and a bit of tolerance in the interests of communal harmony should be expected, particularly from a councillor, rather than setting up trip wires and a "get orf my land" attitude.
Posted by: Baldybogey on 2:30pm Wed 7 May 08
Hold on....
[quote]"They should be playing on their own back street, not on my garden, I own that land."[/quote]
Does this mean I can lay bare wires across my window sill plugged in to the 240 volts power supply to keep burglars out of my property?
If a councillor can condone strangling a 10 year old for riding a bike across his land then I am sure he will support me in electrocuting a thief breaking in to my property...
Hold on....
"They should be playing on their own back street, not on my garden, I own that land."
Does this mean I can lay bare wires across my window sill plugged in to the 240 volts power supply to keep burglars out of my property?
If a councillor can condone strangling a 10 year old for riding a bike across his land then I am sure he will support me in electrocuting a thief breaking in to my property...
Posted by: Bad_guy, Keighley on 12:34pm Sat 10 May 08
Hello, People, He owns the land! Its up 2 him who plays there and if he doesn't want people there, thats his choice!!!!
What is this country coming to? You cant have a say on your own property!!!
i know i wouldnt allow anyone to ride a bike in my back garden, as none of you would! Give the guy a break, or better still, buy the land off him and ride all you want!!
Hello, People, He owns the land! Its up 2 him who plays there and if he doesn't want people there, thats his choice!!!!
What is this country coming to? You cant have a say on your own property!!!
i know i wouldnt allow anyone to ride a bike in my back garden, as none of you would! Give the guy a break, or better still, buy the land off him and ride all you want!!
Posted by: Grumpy Old Man, Sutton in Craven on 8:46am Tue 13 May 08
What a guy. Just the sort of even-handed, fair-minded, man-of-the-people the good citizens of Steeton want to represent their interests at local level.
Alternatively he's simply an a**e who's more deserving of the Grumpy old Man title than me.
I think the good councillor will find that there is quite possibly a public right of way along the back lane (Bad_guy - note the difference between [italic]back garden[/italic] and [italic]back lane[/italic] ) and if not there will certainly be a permissive right of way requiring each resident to ensure unrestricted access.
Placing ligature lines across an area where children are known to play is not only reprehensible but possibly illegal.
What a guy. Just the sort of even-handed, fair-minded, man-of-the-people the good citizens of Steeton want to represent their interests at local level.
Alternatively he's simply an a**e who's more deserving of the Grumpy old Man title than me.
I think the good councillor will find that there is quite possibly a public right of way along the back lane (Bad_guy - note the difference between
back garden and
back lane ) and if not there will certainly be a permissive right of way requiring each resident to ensure unrestricted access.
Placing ligature lines across an area where children are known to play is not only reprehensible but possibly illegal.
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