Great Wall of Fleetwood: Man builds 16ft garden wall in protest at neighbour's sun terrace ... and now it's a tourist attraction

After spending two months building a sun terrace on the kitchen roof of their seaside home, Dennis and Sandra Hawes settled down to enjoy the view.

But not for long.

Next-door neighbour Charles Hart was disgruntled that he was not consulted about the terrace, which overlooked his garden.

So he decided to exact revenge  -  and built what is known locally as the Great Wall of Fleetwood.

The view from the terrace is now obstructed by a barrier 16ft high and 26ft long between the properties in the Lancashire former fishing port.

The wall has caused so much controversy that it has even become a tourist attraction, with taxi drivers pointing it out to their passengers.

Council officials have already ordered that part of it be removed, but a final decision is due to be made at a meeting of the planning committee next month.

Mr Hawes, 58, a retired radio officer-with the oil industry, said he and his wife built the terrace at their £400,000 detached home to enjoy the views over a golf course and the Irish Sea.

'It took eight weeks to build and I followed all the proper procedures  -  I didn't need to get planning permission, only a builder's certificate,' added the father of three.

Disputed border: An aerial view shows the true scale of the wall

'When it was finished Charlie Hart came round and said he didn't like the terrace because we could see into his garden. I said to him, "Why didn't you tell us before we built it?"

'Then he put up a canvas screen which ran the full length of the garden.

'A short time later he applied for planning permission for an extension on his house and at the same time he had the wall built.

'When the compliance officer from the council came round to check on the work she told the bricklayer that it was too tall and would be coming down.

'But he said he was still getting paid to build the wall so he carried on.

Rooms without a view: Furious Mr Hawes sits in his back garden with the wall towering in the background

'This wall must have breached every planning rule going. It's completely out of keeping with the area.

'On my side it is just breeze blocks  -  it's an eyesore.

'It's been compared to the Great Wall of China. But I'd rather it was like the Berlin Wall  -  and came down.'

Other neighbours also want the wall removed. Peggy Chamber, 84, whose garden backs on to Mr Hawes's property, said: 'It's terrible.'

Council officials have already ordered 55-year-old Mr Hart to take down part of the wall which breached his original planning permission.

They have pledged to go to court to force it to be demolished if he fails to comply.

The way it used to be: The Hawes's pretty garden before the wall was built

The planning committee of Wyre Borough Council will consider the matter on June 4.

Mr Hart, who runs an amusement arcade business, said: 'We have planning permission for around 80 per cent of the wall.

'The problem started when Mr Hawes erected a sundeck around 4ft from our property, without any notification to ourselves.

'We told him we weren't happy about it. We got planning permission to erect a wall to get our privacy back because the sundeck overlooked our garden and our lounge.

'We have submitted a new planning application reducing the wall by about two metres and are awaiting the council decision next month.'