Police were called after a pensioner used her mobility scooter to block heavy machinery, including diggers, at a building site as she fears a 20ft wall near her bungalow may collapse.
Mary Roberts, 76, claimed she ended up in a shouting match with builders after taking action in Botley, Hampshire, on Tuesday out of concern over the stability of the wall, which has had to be reinforced with metal brackets.
Above the wall is her and neighbours’ properties and she claims “everybody’s had their gardens wrecked”.
Workers called the police when Ms Roberts staged her protest, with officers from Hampshire Constabulary attending the scene.
A spokesman for the force said that Ms Roberts moved after being spoken to and that “no crime was identified”.
The protest came after Vivid, a construction company, secured planning permission to reinforce the large retaining wall at the back of a row of bungalows in the village, in which Ms Roberts and her sister both live.
The use of diggers and large vehicles was approved by Eastleigh council after two planning applications.
Ms Roberts said the confrontation with workers was tense, saying: “We were both shouting until police arrived. I don’t mind being arrested if it means I’m finally heard.”
The pensioner and her sister both live in bungalows on the same street. She claimed her sister’s home had seen damage and water leaks during the works, although she had been told by developer Vivid that it was not responsible.
This 20ft wall supports the homes and gardens of Mary Roberts and her neighbours – Daily Echo/Solent News
Ms Roberts is upset that the work is being carried out, claiming: “Everybody’s had their gardens wrecked, some gardens have been nurtured for over 10 years. They’ve desecrated so much in this hatchet job.”
Matt Bellamy, Vivid’s director of asset strategy and delivery, said: “We understand that having work carried out near your home can sometimes be worrying. Keeping our customers and their homes safe is really important to us.
“Every effort is made to minimise disruption while these repairs are carried out. We want customers to feel informed and reassured throughout these repair works, and we’ll continue to work with them as the repairs progress.”