Doreen Lofthouse's new planning woe

The multi-millionaire, who made her fortune from Fleetwood throat lozenge giant Fisherman’s Friend, has built a 200m asphalt track at her home in Thornton without approval, Wyre Council documents revealed.

She is now at the mercy of planners who could order the track, laid so hay and feed can be delivered for rescue ponies and donkeys, to be ripped up.

Work to lay the track began at the end of March, paperwork lodged with the council showed.

In December, Mrs Lofthouse had to apply for retrospective planning permission for a 30ft version of Fleetwood’s Beach Lighthouse, which she built on unused farmland at her sprawling estate, off Links Road.

After considering one objection and several letters of support, councillors – making the decision because of the application’s controversial nature – said Mrs Lofthouse, one of the country’s richest women, could keep the replica, against planners’ recommendation.

Mrs Lofthouse, who has pumped millions of pounds into the regeneration of Fleetwood over the years and was made an OBE for her charity and business work in 2008, had previously threatened to tie herself to the structure to stop it being flattened if refused planning permission.