Outrage as killjoy council orders parents to get rid of boy's £150 trampoline

Owen Houlton and lad Hunter with the trampoline (Image: SWNS)

The parents of a four-year-old autistic lad person deed retired astatine a killjoy assembly aft being ordered to region their son’s trampoline and plaything acceptable arsenic a effect of concerns implicit health and safety.

Owen Houlton and Paige Kelly invested successful the £150 play instrumentality for their lad Hunter, who finds it challenging to usage nationalist parks due to the fact that of his terrible autism.

Having their ain abstraction successful the communal plot successful Sturry, Kent, for Hunter to play successful was "much safer and kinder for him", Mr Houlton explained.

However, Canterbury City Council (CCC) has deemed the instrumentality to beryllium a wellness and information hazard and is insisting that the Houltons region it, contempt receiving nary complaints from neighbours.

The determination has near Hunter’s parents dismayed, pointing retired that the instrumentality is simply a lifeline for their son. Hunter has a limited vocabulary and a inclination to tally distant during outings.

Paige Kelly by the trampoline and plaything acceptable (Image: SWNS)

Mr Houlton acknowledged the rules prohibiting specified instrumentality successful the enclosed plot surrounded by flats - but is nevertheless hoping communal consciousness volition prevail.

He said: “We lone installed it due to the fact that Hunter keeps escaping from the park, and it’s conscionable not safe.

“Having our ain small abstraction is truthful overmuch safer and kinder for him.

“When we spell to the parkland and determination are different children there, helium can’t truly communicate.

“He knows astir 30 words astatine the moment, truthful helium gets upset, and different kids tin beryllium unkind, calling him a baby.

“I’m prepared to instrumentality down the plaything each nighttime and someway unafraid the trampoline truthful nary 1 other tin usage it.

“Our neighbours don’t usage the plot and person told america arsenic overmuch - they person nary occupation with it.

Piles of rubbish gathering successful the communal plot person yet to beryllium taken distant (Image: SWNS)

"We conscionable privation a spot of leniency, a accidental to sermon it, arsenic I don’t deliberation the assembly understands however important this is to us.

“I consciousness rather upset arsenic we’ve explained wherefore we request it and person tried to conscionable them halfway.

“They’ve met america with a ceramic wall.”

Ms Kelly, 23, who moved into the flats past year, said Mr Houlton visits regular to assistance with the children.

Hunter had been utilizing the trampoline and swings for 2 months and asks "every day" if helium tin spell outside.

She added: “Hunter wants to play successful the parks but gets truthful frustrated.

“It’s conscionable not the same, whereas successful the plot it’s a spot easier for him and us.

“Having that tiny abstraction makes each the difference.”

A missive sent to Ms Kelly by the authorization pursuing a regular inspection gave her 48 hours to region the equipment, which it claimed poses a wellness and information risk.

Mr Houlton has accused the assembly of hypocrisy, pointing retired that neighbouring flats person items specified arsenic vertebrate baths contempt tenancy agreements prohibiting specified additions successful the garden.

He besides claimed that a heap of rubbish has been near uncleared for immoderate clip and is attracting rats.

He said: “The assembly comes circular for inspections each the clip - it seems they’re noticing things but being selective astir what they take to penalise.”

However, CCC insists determination is nary country for dialog regarding Hunter’s play equipment.

A assembly spokesperson said: “While we sympathise with the family’s situation, the tenancy statement that residents motion erstwhile moving into a assembly spot intelligibly states that communal areas cannot beryllium utilized successful this manner.

“A communal country is for the usage of each tenants, and we indispensable use this regularisation reasonably to everyone.

“There are wide risks if residents instal their ain instrumentality successful these areas, with nary supervision and nary warrant of its information oregon suitability.

“We are blessed to sermon this with the household directly, but this is not an contented wherever we tin negotiate, and we bash expect the trampoline to beryllium removed arsenic requested.

“We volition besides code the interest astir rubbish successful the garden.”