Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells fights for apostrophes

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Stefan Gatward, 62, of Tunbridge Wells, bought a can of black paint and a brush and amended the sign on his street, printed as St Johns Close.

A neighbour watched Mr Gatward, a former soldier, and praised him but another bystander, also a soldier, took offence.

Mr Gatward said: "He asked me what I was doing and told me I was wrong. He called me a vandal and a graffiti artist. He tried to tell me that the post office would not deliver to the street if you put an apostrophe on the address."

He argued with the soldier and walked along the road to paint an apostrophe on another sign. "I've lived on St John's Close for 14 months now and have had to look at those signs every day. I decided enough was enough," he said.

Mr Gatward said he was passionate about the English language. "I think one should stand up for things, and language is worth standing up for.

"The trouble is that some teachers don't know how to use grammar properly, so children don't either. Local authorities just don't bother."