Havant man ordered to move his trailer from outside his home after he blocked the road

Paul Young of Blendworth Crescent lost the right to keep the vehicle that he was '˜doing up' as a hobby after Portsmouth Magistrates' Court ruled it could be a danger to other motorists, in a case brought by Hampshire County Council.

The 39-year-old was originally summoned to court on October 30 amid concerns about a caravan and two trailers parked outside his home. However, before the hearing Young moved the caravan and one trailer to a nearby car park.

The court heard that the trailers were outside Young's house for a couple of reasons. He said: '˜People park outside my house on the kerb and I can't get my mobility scooter out with them parked there. That's what the trailers were there for.

'˜They are outside mine because I am doing them up because I am disabled and it is the only chance I can do them up if they're outside mine and not in a car park. As I explained to the highways officer there is no power in the car park to do any work around there.

'˜The blue trailer is now on the back of my pick-up truck and the caravan is parked behind it in the car park. The red trailer is off the kerb and on the road. I have got nowhere else to store them.'

The court heard that Young was first issued a warning on May 3 about one of the trailers. He then received three more letters from the council asking him to remove all three vehicles, with the last giving him seven days to comply.

Andrew Wood, a principal engineer at Hampshire County Council, said: '˜It's an obstruction in the highway that is jutting out, it's near a junction and it could potentially be run into. It's been there all through the spring and summer.'

The court ordered that the trailer be removed and disposed of, and Young was told '˜the council has proved the trailer is a nuisance on the highway and may constitute a danger'.