Council orders woman to remove trampoline after neighbour's complaint

Wales Online

23-06-2025

Council orders woman to remove trampoline after neighbour's complaint
The 67-year-old believed all her neighbours were happy with the equipment until she received a call from the council
The trampoline Lorraine Roberts, 67, bought for the children
(Image: Kennedy News and Media )
A woman says she has to pull down her trampoline after a neighbour complained to the council about children bouncing on it. Lorraine Roberts bought a trampoline and erected it on a council-owned common area in February.
The 67-year-old believed all her neighbours were happy with the 16-foot equipment until she received a call from Southampton City Council. Grandma-of-ten Lorraine says staff told her an unknown neighbour had complained about the 'noise and mess' children make while playing on it 'all day, every day'.
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She was ordered to take it down from the grassy area before it is forcibly removed on 'health and safety' grounds. Lorraine admits children can be noisy while playing but says she lives just a 'couple feet away' and orders anyone off the trampoline by 8pm.
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She's described the neighbour's complaint as 'gutless' and believes the residents should've been consulted before the decision was made to ban the equipment. The grandma said the local children are 'disappointed and upset' over the trampoline's removal and she remains hopeful the decision can be overturned.
Southampton City Council says play equipment such as trampolines present a 'significant health and safety risk' so is banned on council-owned shared areas. Lorraine said: "Just over a year ago, one of my neighbours put a trampoline on a shared area of grass because a lot of kids play there but it was quite flimsy.
Lorraine Roberts stood in front of the offending trampoline
(Image: Kennedy News and Media )
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"I've got grandchildren that play on the close so I said I'd buy a bigger, sturdier one. "Everybody loved it. Kids were on it all day, every day. It keeps them off their iPads and PlayStations.
"They can be noisy on it but they're going to be noisy either way and they have to be off it by 8pm. I can always hear if there's any issues going on. I only live a couple feet away from it.
"I didn't know anyone had any issue with it. I thought the neighbours were happy with it. "We all think it's spineless how [the neighbour] didn't say anything to our face. They're gutless and we've got to live with them."
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Lorraine insists it's the residents' roles to take responsibility for the children, not the council. She says the kids will still cause noise and mess without the trampoline but now they don't have anything to play on.
Lorraine said: "I was quite shocked when [the council] said they'd received a complaint from one of the neighbours. Why didn't they approach us? "They said it was a health and safety issue but I said you're not responsible, we are. We take responsibility for the children.
"They said it's got to come down. I said no and she said if you don't take it down we will. I was really disappointed for the children's sake. I just like the children having something to play with.
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"The complaint was about the noise and mess but you're still going to get that without the trampoline but now they won't have anywhere to play. "The council should've come round, had a meeting with the whole close and asked what we all thought instead of just saying 'take it down'.
"There was no discussion. We want to see if we can get this overturned. The children are all upset by this." A spokesperson for Southampton City Council said: "Shared areas of council-owned grass within our communities are spaces for everyone to enjoy safely.
"While we understand the importance of outdoor play, play equipment such as trampolines present a significant health and safety risk, and cannot be safely monitored around the clock. "For this reason, we do not permit their use in these shared areas.
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"The residents are within walking distance of two parks which provide good access to play facilities. "We are aware that this type of play equipment can be expensive, which is why we sent letters to the community to give the owner the chance to collect the trampoline themselves."
Lorraine took to social media to voice her concerns with the neighbour's complaint and council's decision to remove the trampoline. Lorraine said: "I cannot believe that some spiteful person from our close has complained to the council that our children are making too much noise whilst playing on the trampoline."
Another user said: "They lead a very sad life to complain about the children." A third added: "You're joking. Isn't it good they are laughing and playing or do they want them either stuck in bedrooms or playing with guns outside? What has this world come to?"
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Another said: "What a small minded person. It's lovely to hear children playing outside."