An entire cul-de-sac has been branded anti-social and given a warning letter – for letting children play outside in the evening.
Residents on North Weald Gardens have been told they could be evicted if they don’t stop congregating in the road and ordered to supervise their noisy kids.
All homes in the cul-de-sac have received a letter from the housing association they rent from which said it wants its tenants to feel “safe and secure.”
It tells residents in the street in Plymouth, Devon to keep the noise down or face further action.
But angry parents have hit back and reacted furiously to the clampdown.
Mum-of-four Leanne Nosworthy says her and her neighbours have done nothing wrong and are being picked on for simply enjoying the sunshine.
Leanne, 40, a health worker, said “We haven’t done anything wrong.
“Why should we get punished for children playing? It’s not fair. I just want to get to the bottom of what is wrong.
“I feel like we are always getting these letters no matter what, even if it is not us.”
Leanne was supposed to attend a meeting with Plymouth Community Homes on Tuesday to discuss the issue but refused to go on principle as she “didn’t want to accept blame”.
She added: “The letter we received [on Tuesday] complained of children being unsupervised and adults congregating on the street, but I don’t understand, we need to look after and keep an eye on them.
“I was really mad when it was delivered – I know another cul-de-sac which had a party on their street a couple of weeks ago with loud karaoke, and they were never told off.
“Nobody here has ever come over and told us to be quiet and none of the children have ever been woken up because of loud music playing.
“We’re not running up and down the street, drinking and screaming – the only time I go outside at night is to have a cigarette, and then I go right back indoors again.”
Head of neighbourhoods for PCH Steve Ford said he wanted to “encourage” children playing in their neighbourhoods – but with “the right supervision”.
Leanne, who has two young children aged four and seven, and two older children, also wants to get the whole cul-de-sac together to get any issues cleared up.
She said: “We have a lovely community spirit here, and during the holidays families get together and hold barbecues all day in their gardens, which is very nice.
“If I thought one person was getting upset with the noise the first thing I would do was apologise and take the noise level down.
“Now PCH has sent me this letter warning of antisocial behaviour, but it has never been investigated, and I have been told if it carries on I could be evicted.”
Mr Ford said the reason behind the letters was to keep people safe.
He said: “We want our residents to feel safe and secure in their homes and for people to build friendships and have good relationships within their communities.
“We recognise that children like to play in areas close to where they live and we want to encourage that with the right supervision and ask that people respect their neighbours’ gardens.
“We wrote to the residents at North Weald Gardens and respectfully asked that when their children play outside they are appropriately supervised for their own safety and for the safety of others.”
