Anger as engineers rip up grass verge outside home

An angry homeowner has hit out at gas engineers after private land was dug up without her permission.
Workman dig up and use the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington without their permission. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704781 SUS-170803-154020001Workman dig up and use the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington without their permission. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704781 SUS-170803-154020001
Workman dig up and use the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington without their permission. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704781 SUS-170803-154020001

Linda Manley was outraged as she woke up on Wednesday morning (March 8) to see engineers digging up a grass verge outside her Storrington home.

Mrs Manley, who lives in private road Kithurst Park, says she owns the land they were digging up.

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She said: “It’s a real invasion of our property. We woke up to the fact that British Gas Engineers had moved onto our land and started digging up our land.

Workman dig up and use the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington without their permission. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704775 SUS-170803-154004001Workman dig up and use the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington without their permission. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704775 SUS-170803-154004001
Workman dig up and use the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington without their permission. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704775 SUS-170803-154004001

“It’s a private road and we own the grass verge outside our property. We haven’t given any authority as far as I am aware.”

She said even if permission had been given by another authority the engineers should have informed her before starting the work.

“Nobody cares, that’s what’s so frustrating,” she said.

“You should not be able to move onto somebody’s property and do this without any common courtesy.”

Workman dig up and use the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington without their permission. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704804 SUS-170803-154054001Workman dig up and use the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington without their permission. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704804 SUS-170803-154054001
Workman dig up and use the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington without their permission. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704804 SUS-170803-154054001
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She claimed the work was being undertaken as part of a development in the area.

Photos show a van with a ‘British Gas’ logo and engineers wearing orange overalls with ‘gas’ written on the back.

West Sussex County Council confirmed the land was not under its responsibilty and said it was down to Southern Gas Network to seek permission from the owner.

A spokesman for Southern Gas Network said it had no record of its engineers working in the area at that time.

Building site near the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704811 SUS-170803-154035001Building site near the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704811 SUS-170803-154035001
Building site near the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704811 SUS-170803-154035001
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“The closest our engineers have been working is a couple of miles away and that was at a separate job,” the spokesman added.

British Gas has been approached for comment.

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Workman dig up and use the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington without their permission. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704775 SUS-170803-154004001Workman dig up and use the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington without their permission. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704775 SUS-170803-154004001
Workman dig up and use the Manley's property in Kithurst Park, Storrington without their permission. All pics taken on the Manley's property with their approval. Pic Steve Robards SR1704775 SUS-170803-154004001

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