THE saga over the children’s Wendy house is a classic local council story.

Where else could red tape over something so trivial last for so long.

Dad Fraser Hambleton put the 10ft by 6ft playhouse on his greenbelt land at Scammonden two years ago, not realising he needed planning permission.

It was classed as ‘unacceptable development on the greenbelt’ but there are many people in neighbouring Kirklees who would say housing plans here are far more unacceptable in the greenbelt.

Mr Hambleton realised it was a safe place to play and so allows other children from the hamlet to play there too. It gets them outdoors and no doubt inspires their sense of adventure and imagination.

Planning officials said that as it was on greenbelt land the house should go but in an outbreak of commonsense the councillors have overruled the advice and say it can stay.

After all, it saves them the cost of putting some swings there too.