Thursday 16 June 2022 10:01 AM Pensioner, 87, drilled holes through his neighbour's wall after claiming it ... trends now
A man drilled holes in his neighbour's garden wall because he claims it encroaches on his land by two inches.
The pensioner received a £90 fine for the criminal damage but he has continued his protest by displaying placards outside his house accusing his neighbours of 'illegal building work'.
The family, who built the extension to create more dining space, say the row has left their children 'embarrassed to go out'.
For a number of months, Ewen Taylor from Cardiff has been putting wooden placards at the front of his house in the Grangetown area.
The 87-year-old's messages include: 'You and your cowboy builder are thiefs [sic]'; 'Other councils take down illegle [sic] building work'; 'Will they sue me?'; and 'Do not like my signs, tell the council'.
The display shows the street number of the next-door family, who said: 'It needs to stop really.'
Mr Taylor, a retired bricklayer who has lived in his house for around 50 years, said his anger was sparked in 2020 when the family built an extension in their back yard.
Pictured: Pensioner Ewen Taylor drilled holes in his neighbour's garden wall and put up signs complaining that their new extension encroaches on his garden by a couple of inches
He claims the family removed the garden wall they previously shared and replaced it with a new one - which he claims juts into his own garden.
'It's a matter of two inches but it's my property,' he said. 'Even if it was half an inch I would object.'
The neighbours - a married couple with four children aged eight to 20 - deny any encroachment.
The mother, 42, said: 'I have no idea why he thinks it is in his property. It is distressing, especially for my children.
'They are embarrassed to go out when people ask questions about the signs.'
The family's extension pushed back their bathroom to create more dining space.
Pictured: One of the signs put up by Mr Taylor and the holes he drilled that have been covered
Pictured: Mr Taylor has a collection of signs accusing his neighbours of illegal building work
Builders knocked down the old garden wall - which Mr Taylor described as 'a random rubble wall with a cock and hen finish' - and built a concrete replacement.
'Since we moved in 20 years ago [Mr Taylor] hasn't talked to us,' said the woman. 'We hadn't had an argument or anything. This is the first time there's been any confrontation.
'Cardiff Council says there's no need for a planning
