Millionaire estate owner builds wall of hay bales so he doesn't have to look at his neighbours

A family were fuming after a former Police and Crime Commissioner erected hay bales blocking their countryside view.

John Turner, 50, and his disabled mum Maxine, 78, live in Thornham, Norfolk, and say they are locked in a neighbour dispute over hay bales they said were put up by a neighbour, Stephen Bett, 68.

Maxine has M.S and eye condition macular degeneration, and her main joy has been looking out over the fields where she has lived for 40 years.

A vandal recently cut down 95 conifer trees - planted four years ago by former Police and Crime Commissioner Mr Bett - prompting suspicion to fall on John.

Mr Bett, who has lived there 20 years, then erected hay bales stacked on top of each other so they stood 11ft tall, blocking the view, John claims.

Norfolk Police were called on July 12 to the neighbour dispute after John lost his temper and shoved the bales but it was decided no crime had been committed.

Mr Bett, who was PCC for the area until 2016, then allegedly rebuilt the hay bales which are still stacked, although slightly less tall because they are on their side.

John said before his dad Frank died, the view of fields with horses running around was the best thing in his life.

Just before Frank died of covid in January 2021, aged 89, he asked John to take care of Maxine - which John says he is now doing by fighting for her right to a nice view.

He has said he won't be attempting to push over the hay bales in future and is stumped about how to challenge it.

John said: "I said to Stephen if I'd cut down the trees I would have done it years ago.

"My dad was stuck in a chair and loved that view - that and the snooker.

"Three weeks ago the trees were cut down; not all of them, a large selection of them, 95 were cut down in total.