Woman Says She Will Move Out Of UK Over 'Intimidating' Telephone Pole

A woman has said she will move out of the UK due to an 'intimidating' telephone pole that has been erected outside her home.

Fifty-six-year-old Sally Griffiths has hit out against the 25ft pole, even taking part in a sit-down protest, after it was placed outside her home in Wallasy, Wirral.

However, she told the Liverpool Echo she was threatened with arrest if she didn't stop the protest against the mast, which was put up by BT last month.

The mum-of-three now says she will move to Egypt if nothing is done about the pole, which she says has left her living in fear of it toppling into her home.

Speaking to the paper she said: "I can't sleep at night anymore. It's affecting so many parts of my life. It's so tall I feel threatened by it."

Liverpool Echo

She added: "I feel like it's going to fall on me, every time it gets windy, I see the thing shaking - it could snap. I was up at 5am this morning worried about it."

On Thursday, as workmen were due to fit wires to the pole, Ms Griffiths sat down and refused to let them - but was told by cops she could be arrested under the Trade Union Act.

"I'm gutted," she added. "I didn't sleep last night. I felt like I didn't exist.

"I think now I'm going to rent my house out and go back to my country - Egypt.

"I'm in the process of doing that.

"I don't feel like eating, and last night I went down to the beach and had a good cry."

A spokesperson from Merseyside Police told the paper: "Merseyside Police can confirm officers were called to Field Road, Wallasey this afternoon (Thursday, 18 April) following reports of a woman obstructing some telecommunications work in the area.

"Officers attended and spoke with all parties - the woman was given advice and left the area. No arrests were made."

Ms Griffiths says she has found an alternative spot the pole could be placed - and that a petition to have it removed currently has more than 200 signatures, but that as yet, BT aren't planning on relocating it.

A spokesperson for BT's Openreach said in a statement: "We've carried out a thorough review including a site visit, and all of the relevant processes have been followed correctly ahead of putting this pole up.

"It's there as part of our work to make ultrafast broadband more widely available in the local area."

Topics: uk news

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19