Fence erected across path prompts ridicule

Social media was rife with theories about what had happened

A fence erected across a path, blocking the way, has been ridiculed by residents.

It became a topic of debate on Facebook after being put up on the Newton Wood housing estate in Guisborough.

One resident posted: “If these people had brains they would be dangerous, it just beggars belief.”

Developer Avant Homes said it had “no knowledge of, nor involvement with, the erection of the fence”.

“We can only assume it was done so by a third-party unknown to us,” it told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Posting on Facebook, one man said he had pointed out the apparent blunder as soon as it happened.

“Whoever erected it will have to remove it," he said.

The errant fence was later corrected

The “crazy fence” had later been taken away, the man told the Facebook group, adding that it was illegal because it blocked a public right of way.

Many theories were discussed on how it had happened, with one man saying it was the “stupid path” that was in the wrong place, having had its original direction altered.

Another claimed the fence had been put up to run alongside the path, but the direction of the path had been changed a week later.

“It’s all to do with a drop down kerb to allow wheelchair users [access] as before it wasn’t a wide enough path," he said.

Redcar and Cleveland Council suggested the fence rails had been added by a member of the public.

A council spokesman said: “The construction company has informed us it has since removed the post and rail and access to the path is now safe and usable.”