Jean Underdown and her husband Graham have spent the last two decades fighting the council to have the public right-away removed from their property.

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The pensioners’ home in Clos Cwm Barri, Wales, has allegedly been vandalised, had rocks lobbed at it and bricks thrown at their car ever since they fenced it off.

Their attempt to keep their house separate has appeared to cause upset amongst locals who use the route – with some even leaving their dog’s mess on the Underdown’s drive, it’s claimed.

And at the start of the month, cops were called to the address to find the tyres on the couples’ car had been slashed.

Jean told WalesOnline: “Some people like to walk over and have a look at what I am growing in the garden and things like that.

“It is intrusive. We came here thinking: ‘Right, we have got a private drive.

“We will not have every Tom, Dick, and Harry walking through our property’, but that is exactly what happened.”

Despite taking it up with their local council prior to building the gate, Jean and Graham were told that the majority of residents had petitioned against having the footpath removed.

They also made it clear that they were fed up with the walkway being hindered.

Jean and Graham bought their property in 1999 – five years after housing construction company Taylor Wimpey obtained planning permission to build new homes in a nearby field.

An agreement between Vale of Glamorgan Council and the developers explains the footpath was created for vehicle access.

And a council report states that there was a requirement for a pedestrian footpath to be added – which wasn’t.

A council spokesperson said: “This matter was considered in detail, as was the comprehensive documentation submitted, at the meeting of the council’s public rights of way sub-committee.

“The committee determined that the application to delete the footpath as recorded on the definitive map be declined.

“The applicant has the right to appeal this decision. We understand this is currently being considered.”