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Pensioner told she can't tend flowerbed unless she erects warning signs and wears a fluorescent jacket
Last updated at 13:52pm on 10.08.07She has needed little more than a trowel and a dedicated green thumb to turn this village flowerbed into a work of art.
Unfortunately for June Turnbull, council officials say she also needs a few other accessories - namely, three warning signs, a "lookout" and a fluorescent safety jacket - before she so much as pulls another weed.
The 79-year-old, whose voluntary work on the public flowerbed has produced a much-admired blaze of colour, has been told she poses a health and safety risk.
Council officials have ordered her to stay away from the flowers until she complies with their safety regulations.
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Blooming fuss: June Turnbull has been told she needs warning signs if she is to tend this flowerbed
Neighbours in Urchfont, near Devizes, Wiltshire, are amazed that Mrs Turnbull's green fingers are being bound by red tape.
The gardener, who has been working on the flowerbed for eight years, said she would ignore the council's demands.
"I couldn't believe what they were saying I had to do," she added.
"I come and work on the flowerbed at the drop of a hat, when the weather is fine and I have some time to spare.
"I can't drag around three great metal signs and have someone standing by in case I might want to do a bit of work on it.
"I have paid hundreds of pounds to plant the flowers myself and the compost every spring and autumn has been paid out of my pension.
"I work there until the gardening is done. I love doing it. It is my bit to keep the village tidy. It is a lovely little village.
"I don't care what they do to me. I will continue working on the flowerbed."
Wiltshire county council stepped in when a highways inspector spotted her at work.
He asked the parish council chairman Peter Newell, who was with him, if the council had the necessary "Section 96" safety licence.
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The picture-postcard village of Urchfont, near Devizes, in Wiltshire, where council highways chiefs have banned June Turnbull from tending its flower beds
Mr Newell said he had no idea any sort of licence was needed. But he was told the work must stop immediately unless the regulations were met.
According to the inspector, the parish has health and safety responsibilities for volunteers on county-owned land.
Mr Newell remains bemused at the county council's demands over Mrs Turnbull's horticultural hobby.
"She has done a wonderful job for the last eight years - she is marvellous," he said.
"It has been a labour of love for her. We all think the council is going a bit over the top."
The fluorescent jacket is apparently required to ensure Mrs Turnbull is visible, while three signs would warn traffic in all directions that she was at work. A lookout would provide further checks.
For Mrs Turnbull, the order to comply has simply planted the seeds of rebellion.
"They can send me to jail if they like," she declared. I just want to be left alone to do it.
"It is a very pretty flowerbed. I have tried to make it look very natural."
Mrs Turnbull, who is registered disabled since contracting polio in her youth, considers the flowerbed her patch.
She pays for the plants from her weekly pension and cycles the halfmile from her house to tend them whenever she can.
Residents credit her with transforming the flowerbed into a gorgeous focal point, which helped Urchfont win the title of Best Kept Village in Wiltshire two years ago.
The parish council will meet next month to decide whether to defy the Wiltshire authority's demands.
But Peter Hanson, divisional highways manager for the county council, said: "We require that people undertaking this type of work follow the same safety procedures as our own staff to ensure they are not put at risk.
"This will include wearing fluorescent jackets, placing warning signs and, in some cases, such as this location in Urchfont because it is on a bend, working in pairs."
He added: "We provide both signs and jackets free of charge to any volunteers."
Reader views (13)
thank goodness for people like june turnbull, its wonderfull that people care about their town and keep it tidy. if all petty officials did this in australia they would reprimanded swiftley.
its nice to see most people are not all like miserable officials.
praise should be given to people who tidy their town,
criticise the tidy not the untidy .
- bruce howard smith, lake macquarie nsw australia
Let's remember this is a 79 year old lady. If - god forbid - she had been knocked over by a passing lorry then I think people would be singing a very different tune. Wear your high-viz jacket June - and may all your petunias bloom!
- Trevor Roll, London
Perhaps the inspector should have a re-think and use his brain this time.
- Mike, Bedford
Oh for crying out loud. Let the woman carry on doing the wonderful job that she has been doing for the last 8 years - with no jacket/sign/lookout and she doesn't seem any worse for it! This truly is incredulous.
- Sam, London, UK
These officials are going to destroy this country. All this nit-picking just makes you furious. This is like the clown who is now unable to blow bubbles in his act just in case a child hurts itself while running after them. This madness has got to stop.
- Paula Newman, London, UK
I can see the point of a fluorescent jacket, the council could provide her with one. Get her to sign a form that she does this at her own risk. Health and safety does have it's uses. But this type of heavy handed approach by idiots is counter productive. It leads to people not taking it seriously when they need to.
- Kim Lovell, London, England
I think Mr Hanson is full of pride when he says "We provide both signs and jackets free of charge to any volunteers." but doesn't realise that this misses the point completely and he doesn't understand that the spontaneity of Mrs Turnbull, or anyone, looking after the flower bed is much of the joy of doing it.
- Md, London
I sincerely hope that MY local council is not wasting money in this way. The council officials have all gone bonkers. Well done I say to Mrs Turnbull. Fight them on the verges, in the flowerbeds.
- Naomi_Sajeri, Manchester
Will the council also supply the lookout free of charge?
- Tom, Norfolk
These is the sort of mediocre busybodies that now run the country and why we are on our way out as a leading nation. Life is one big gamble from day one and I am sure Mrs Turnbull would be the first to tell you so. Let her carry on with her good work and stop wasting council time and money.
- Stephend, London, England
"We require that people undertaking this type of work follow the same safety procedures as our own staff to ensure they are not put at risk."
Rubbish, it's so they don't sue the council if they get hurt. Why do we elect such stupid people?
- Adam, Harrow, UK
Why not publish the name and addresses of these interfering half-wits, and let the public decide who is right. A few knocks on their front doors might bring these morons to their senses even if the prospect of not being re-elected doesn't.
- Lezli, London UK
Health and Seftey gone mad again. Ban it. Get rid of it before we are all forced to walk around like automitons!
- Jason, Europe
