This towering structure - dubbed the "Great Wall of Fleetwood" - has sparked anger and threats of court action in the escalation of a neighbours' dispute.

And now locals - one describing the situation as like living in a "concrete prison" - are demanding Wyre Council takes action to get it torn down.

"People are calling it the Great Wall of Fleetwood, but I'd rather it was like the Berlin Wall and came down," said fuming next door neighbour Dennis Hawes.

Upset

The 16ft wall looms over his garden in the most select area of Fleetwood where homes have views over the golf course.

Mr Hawes has been battling for more than 12 months to get the wall on Princes Way taken down.

But before there is any chance of the matter being resolved it must be discussed by councillors.

Mr Hawes said: "This wall must have breached every planning rule going.
"It has to be dangerous and it's completely out of keeping with the area. Everyone's upset about it, one neighbour has said it's like living in a concrete prison.

"It's OK to have a wall around your house, but not one so overbearing as this. It's rendered on his side but not on mine, it's just breeze blocks."

Mr Hawes said problems begun when he built a sun deck alongside his house which overlooks the garden of his neighbour Charles Hart.

"My neighbour said he didn't like it and for harmony I wouldn't have done it if he had mentioned it earlier," said Mr Hawes.

Mr Hart got permission for part of the wall to protect his privacy. He is then said to have extended it a further four metres, the complete length of Mr Hawes' garden.

Among those angry about the wall is Joan Groves who lives in nearby Ridgeway.

She said: "I can see it from my landing window. I think it's an eyesore. I wouldn't like it to be next door to me."

Peggy Chamber, 84, of Westgate, whose garden backs onto Mr Hawes' property, said: "It's terrible."

Wyre Council officials said they were ready to go to court to have the wall removed.

But Mr Hart has now put in a fresh planning application offering to take two metres off the length of the wall.

A Wyre Council spokesman said: "We are waiting for the decision of the planning committee in June.

"If the application is rejected we would then proceed with enforcement action and take it the matter to court. If that action is successful he will be forced to take it down."

Mr Hart was unavailable for comment.