A LEPTON resident who built a fence to stop children playing on his roof and dumping rubbish is his garden has been asked to dismantle it.

Since coach driver David Hodgson, 59, bought his bungalow from Kirklees Council two years ago kids have been running across his roof and leaving waste in his garden.

While father-of-three Mr Hodgson owns the house, everything outside his four walls belongs to the council.

Mr Hodgson has tried to rent and buy the surrounding garden but, so far, he has been refused.

Two months ago a friend built him a five-foot fence for £500 which has kept children off the roof and rubbish out of his garden.

But because the land does not belong to Mr Hodgson, the council have demanded he take the fence down.

Mr Hodgson said: "One kid has been climbing on my roof and breaking tiles. I don't want him to fall off and break his neck. If the roof starts leaking who's going to pay for that?

"Since I put up the fence the garden has been a lot tidier and my property has been safer.

"A council officer found out and she came round and went ballistic.

"I said I wanted to buy the land but they won't let me. I can't understand why. They're saying I've stolen the land, but I had every intention of buying it.

"Because of kids sitting on my wall I can't have a bath in peace.

"I'm doing something to stop nuisance kids and they're telling me not to do anything.

A spokesperson for Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing said: "Mr Hodgson bought his council bungalow in June 2006.

"His bungalow is on an open plan estate. To make sure it maintains its character, only the bungalows are sold, not the land around them.

"This benefits everyone living on the estate.

"Mr Hodgson was aware of this when he bought his bungalow – the restrictions were spelled out in the terms of the sale and Mr Hodgson signed an agreement to comply with them.

"A month after he bought the bungalow, he asked if he could put up a fence. We said that he couldn't because the land wasn't his, but he did anyway.

"We have therefore asked him to take the fence down, which he said he would.

"To date, we have had no complaints either from Mr Hodgson or from any of his neighbours about children causing problems on the estate.

"If anyone does have problems, they need to report them to their housing team."