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Outrage over fans' X(rated) Factor
Ellen Widdup, Evening StandardUpdated 16:25pm on 28 Oct 2009
Wealthy neighbours are demanding X Factor contestants be moved out of their £6 million house to protect the area from rubbish, graffiti and fans' lewd behaviour.
“Bedlam”: twin John Grimes at the X Factor house
Police have received complaints from residents about a mob screaming and daubing “pornographic” messages outside.
Manic: fans besiege the property
Officers were also called to the property after two teenage girls “flashed” at twins John and Edward Grimes who appeared at an upstairs window in their boxer shorts.
X Factor Blog: Will John & Edward cause the death of X Factor?
One neighbour said: “We're sick to the back teeth of the disruption and if the police don't sort it we will. People round here are extremely wealthy and have personal security. If necessary, we will blockade the street and stop the crowd ourselves.
“It's a nightmare around here, everyone is angry. It's non-stop with the screaming, the piles of rubbish, the traffic and the fans. It has turned into a circus.”
Police patrols have been stepped up, and a spokesman said officers were working with the ITV show's production team to try to minimise disruption. An 8ft fence has been erected around the perimeter of the house in Golders Green.
Resident Alexander Netsler said: “These young girls are attracting dirty old men to stare at them. Some of them, as young as 11, are writing pornographic messages on the barriers.”
Another neighbour, a millionaire who wanted to remain nameless, said: “It's bedlam. The girls are getting their boobs out and all sorts.”
An X Factor spokesman said the show was continuing to liaise with police on security matters.
Reader views (11)
So - now they've closed the entire road to traffic. Which wouldn't be so bad if the other routes through there weren't all being dug up for water main replacements.... So an extra 15 mins on my journey to and from work each day because someone doesn't like commoners on their road.
Is it even legal to close that road? Who was consulted?
- Jim Douglas, United Kingdom, 30/10/2009 14:18
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Oh dear, how dare they lower the tone of the neighbourhood.
- Harry Barracuda, Manama, Bahrain, 29/10/2009 06:14
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i just dont understand how people can waste so much time looking at a building which xfactor contestants r staying in? wt r they trying to achieve... seriously baffles me...like...wow i jus saw john and edwards hair in the windooww!!! sum people r really sad n need to get a life, genuine
- James, daetfrd, 29/10/2009 01:04
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As a by-product of a commercial event - assume both the Met and the Local Authority are charging the X-factor for any additional resources used on this - if not why not - they charge football grounds for the "extra" work caused by fans.
And anyway - surely what's going "outside" closed doors in lovely NW11 - is no worse than what goes on behind "closed" doors 
- Jc, SE1, 28/10/2009 21:38
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The twins should be asked to leave x factor for their behaviour
- Claire Of Cleveland, cleveland , uk, 28/10/2009 21:28
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I suggest those who think the neighbours should "relax" imagine what it would be like if THEY had hordes of people gathered outside their front gate 24/7. This isn't just a one-off incident. They've been gathering outside that house for weeks now, and since the X Factor still has a couple of months to run it will no doubt continue for a while.
It's bad enough down my road with the kids walking home from school shouting, screaming, playing music, yelling on their mobiles, throwing stones, dropping litter... but to have it all day long for months on end must be intolerable and I think they're perfectly within their rights to complain, just as you would complain about any other neighbours from hell.
It's not a question of how rich these neighbours supposedly are, this sort of disruption would drive anybody up the wall but nobody at the X Factor will do anything about it because it's these annoying teenagers who pay their wages.
I suggest everybody goes and gathers outside Simon Cowell or the X Factor producers houses all day long and make a nuisance of themselves and see how they like it.
- Steve, London, 28/10/2009 16:57
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I am not a fan or a supporter of these fly by night celebs who at some one would turn up on our tv screen eating bugs in some jungle begging us to vote for them, but I can't support these rich folk making noise trying to dictate to people how they should behaviour because they have money all I can say is let these teens enjoy themselves, am sure these old bitter rich people, were groupies to the rolling stones and countless others...its call having fun, relax ..heaven forbid griffti and rubbish turns up in those over price places
- Andrew, London, 28/10/2009 16:34
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“It's bedlam. The girls are getting their boobs out and all sorts.”
Gasp!
One imagines a Victorian laydee, in a stern, black dress, fainting, back of hand over brow, while her ladies-in-waiting furiously fan her with embroidered fans! LoL
- Ross, London, England, 28/10/2009 16:29
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Hahahaha that story cheered me up.
- John, London, 28/10/2009 15:01
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what a waste of police resources, having to look after one house because of idiot x-factor fans.
- Steven Jones, london, 28/10/2009 14:30
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Why are the police protecting them. Surely they have better things to do! Why can't X Factor pay for private protection.
- Jk, London, 28/10/2009 13:45
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