Latest news with #elephantslide
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Homeowner with 20ft elephant on driveway has it confiscated after complaints over multi-coloured ‘monstrosity'
A BELOVED 20 foot-long elephant slide has been confiscated from a homeowner's driveway due to complaints from neighbours. Trevor Robinson, 71, said he would "pay any money" to get the colourful "monstrosity" back. 2 He acquired the eight-foot tall fibreglass elephant slide, named Ellie, two months ago after seeing sub-contractors preparing to remove it from a nearby leisure centre in Gillingham, Kent. Trevor said: "I saw them taking it away [from the leisure park] and said, 'no I will have it.' "They thought I was joking." Ellie was then delivered to Trevor's house in the suburb of Twydall, Kent for free. But last Thursday, one of the sub-contractors returned to say the council was ordering him to take the slide away due to neighbour complaints. Medway Council also labelled it an "unsafe structure", and revealed intentions to dispose of it. Trevor, who also owns two Jaguars and a Harley Davidson at his home, thinks that "jealousy" and a dislike for the Union Jack flag that is painted on the side of Ellie is what caused neighbours to complain. "People loved it. I wanted to let kids and their parents come round and use it and give the money to charity." He added: "There are a few neighbours who don't like me, but all their kids were waiting to have a go on it." The homeowner planned to install a pond in his back garden to go along with the slide, as well as his collection of garden ornaments. Shoppers urged 'not to blink' and get their hands on Home Bargains garden essential that sold out fast last time and it makes your garden extra cute - TikTok homebargainsofficialuk Ellie, however, was too heavy to be lifted over his house, and a forklift driver just assembled the play equipment on Trevor's driveway. The elephant slide has been part of some of Trevor's fondest memories from a young age, being situated at the Strand leisure park since he was a child. He said: "I think it is diabolical. All the kids loved it. If they haven't broken it up then I will pay to get it back. I miss it, it has been a part of my life for so long. "Everyone is really upset that it is gone. I want to get it back, I don't care what it costs. I will pay any money - I just want her back," he continued. Self-proclaimed "eccentric character" Trevor says he would even give away one of his Jaguar cars to have Ellie returned to him. A Medway Council spokesperson said: "During our annual health and safety audit of The Strand, the slide, which is now more than 30 years old, was not deemed to be safe so we took the decision to remove it. "Medway Norse arranged for a sub-contractor to remove the structure. Once we became aware that a resident had the slide following complaints, we arranged for it to be picked up so it can be safely disposed of as it is an unsafe structure."
Daily Mail
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Killjoy council tells pensioner Ellie The Elephant must pack her trunk and say goodbye to his front garden
A man is furious after council 'killjoys' removed a novelty elephant slide from his driveway because angry neighbours complained it was a 'monstrosity'. Trevor Robinson was left 'heartbroken' when he was forced to ditch the former piece of play-equipment from the front garden of his semi-detached home in Gillingham, Kent. Locals had moaned to Medway Council that the 20ft-long fibreglass elephant nicknamed 'Ellie' was 'dangerous'. He rescued the slide after he spotted sub-contractors preparing to remove it from a nearby leisure park and said it is loved by children and their families. The retired dock worker told MailOnline: 'I collect quirky items, that's the sort of guy I am. And she was a new item. I enjoyed having it there. It looked different. 'I was doing the community a favour. People loved it when it was there. Children and their parents would stop. 'But some of my neighbours were not happy. I was going to build a little pond to slide into it. 'I would do anything to get it back. I have two Jaguars in my garden. They are my pride and joy. I'd sell one to get it back. 'Ellie is as important to me as my cars. 'The council are killjoys. It's a scandal.' The 71-year-old had initially planned to create a pond in his back garden for the slide so children in the neighbourhood could use it. But Ellie was too heavy to carry into the back garden so the retired forklift driver assembled it in his driveway instead. He said: 'I saw them taking it away [from the leisure park] and said, 'no I will have it.' They thought I was joking. Then he delivered it to my house for free. 'People loved it. I wanted to let kids and their parents come round and use it and give the money to charity.' However, not everyone agrees with Mr Robinson's taste. One neighbour told KentOnline: 'I can't believe for a moment he actually thought he could leave it [in the drive]. 'The council's planning department would have had a field day. We couldn't get permission for a six-foot shed in our front garden, never mind a 20-foot-long elephant. 'Eventually, we did say something to the council, but we weren't the first. 'Yes, the children liked it and people looked at it when they went by, but they didn't have to live with it day-in, day-out. A Medway Council spokesperson said: 'During our annual health and safety audit of The Strand, the slide, which is now more than 30 years old, was not deemed to be safe so we took the decision to remove it. 'Medway Norse arranged for a sub-contractor to remove the structure. 'Once we became aware a resident had the slide following complaints, we arranged for it to be picked up so it can be safely disposed of as it is an unsafe structure.'
