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FILE PICTURE – Poppy Smart who was wolf-whistled by builders in Worcester. A builder, who claims he wolf-whistled at a girl in a video she gave police to show she was being harassed, has hit back at the claims builders are sexist. See NTI story NTIWHISTLE. Ian Merrett, 28, has refuted the suggestions that he and his colleagues sexually harassed Poppy Smart, 23, by whistling and shouting comments about her appearance. Miss Smart, a marketing co-ordinator, made headlines earlier this week when she revealed that she had contacted West Mercia Police over the regular taunts. Speaking yesterday (Weds), Mr Merrett, a self-employed builder living in Worcester, said: “It’s highly likely it was me who did that wolf-whistle. I’ve seen the news coverage and it’s not right. I’m a builder and my mates are builders. We are all hard working people and our reputation has been damaged. Wolf-whistling is part and parcel of working on a site, it’s complimenting a girl.”