Council apologises for gnome error

A local council has apologised to a woman who was wrongly ordered to remove two gnomes placed outside her flat.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council had left 57-year-old Linda Langford a note asking her to get rid of the ornaments outside her accommodation in Tipton, West Midlands, BBC News reports.

Initially housing cabinet member Mahboob Hussain told the Express & Star: "I have received complaints about items blocking communal areas and I have visited flats to look at the problem.

"I've seen people blocking hallways in a manner that is just not acceptable. I've seen chests of drawers on landings and plants on staircases. This is about fire regulations."

However, he later said: "A Sandwell Homes officer visited Mrs Langford to discuss items in communal areas because we were reviewing our fire regulations in flats.

"Mrs Langford wasn't in and the officer left a note, which incorrectly asked Mrs Langford to remove the items from outside her flat. Sandwell Homes had slightly misinterpreted the policy on items in communal areas."