Neighbour builds 6ft wall half an inch from family's windows to stop them 'trespassing' on his land by opening them

The view from their converted barn should have been of glorious rolling countryside. But when Lee Goddard and his family looked out of their windows one morning they found themselves face to face with a six-foot wall.

It had been hastily built by neighbour Elhamy Shaqer, who claimed his land extended right up to the barn wall and thus, by opening their windows, they were trespassing.

He built the wall half an inch away from the back of the one-storey barn, blocking all the light and making it impossible to open the windows more than a chink.



Matters came to a head last Thursday when Mr Goddard, a builder who had turned the barn into a three-bedroom home, moved in with his partner Diane Wilson and their two sons, Harvey, five, and Charlie, two.

Mr Goddard, 35, decided to take the wall down as no light was getting in to the three bedrooms. But he was shocked when Mr Shaqer's wife Andrea called the police and he was threatened with arrest for breaching the peace if he carried on.

Now the Shaqers have sent Mr Goddard and his parents, who own the barn near Hambridge in Somerset, a solicitor's letter threatening legal action. They intend to seek a court order preventing the wall being damaged any further and demand costs for the rebuilding part of it.

With more photos.