Couple Who Built A 4ft Fence To Block Queues For Neighbouring Chippy Selling Home At £105,000 Loss

Stephen and Christine Williams were fed up of customers from the neighbouring fish and chip shop waiting outside of their Alnwick home.

They even put up a fence to get some privacy and for hungry people to stop using their window sill as a bench.

The bizarre situation did the rounds on social media in September and was dubbed 'Fence-gate' by the locals.

However, as the row intensified, Stephen, 58, claimed an outraged man aimed an airgun at Christine and fired.

The couple, who used to run a sweet shop from the property, were so spooked they removed the fence a week later.

They are now selling the three-bed semi-detached house for £195,000 ($264,000).

Land Registry records show the house was bought for £300,000 ($406,000) in 2006 – a whopping £105,000 more than the current asking price.

Christine, 51, who works in a nursing home, said relations with her neighbours had 'gone sour' since the fence row.

She said: "We were going to sell the house beforehand but what’s gone on has soured it a bit. 

"We were going to sell the house but it brought it all forward.

"We took the fence down 24 September, it was up for a week. 

"We just want to move on with it. 

"I got trolled on Facebook. Some of the comments we saw were awful.”

Recalling the moment a yob fired an air rifle at Christine, she said: "To think the guy who shot at me got away with that. I said to my husband ‘that guys got a gun’.

"The minute he aimed at me, Stephen dragged me inside."

Stephen added: "We've had people eating their chips on our windowsill and looking through the window while we are trying to relax. It's not on.

"Most people wouldn't want people using their land as a footpath and neither do we. We just wanted to protect our property."

The couple ran a sweet shop up until 2019, but closed it down and converted it into a living room.

Estate agent Pattinson, who are selling the house, say the property has 'so many potential options'.

In the particulars, they say: "Perhaps it will become a beautiful and substantial family home, maybe with a separate granny annex, or split into two separate dwellings.

"Maybe the former shop could once again be put back into service, and what could be done with the garage...? The mind boggles."

Mr and Mrs Williams are hoping to move 11 miles away to the idyllic village of Rothbury.