A cheeky Scot had locals in stitches after he hit back at "petty" neighbours with a hilarious banner on his garden shed.
Alastair Leggate has become somewhat of a local celebrity in Hamilton after putting the "tongue-and-cheek" sign up nearly two weeks ago.
Speaking to the Daily Record, the 46-year-old has spoken of a two-year-long saga that led to a planning feud amid anonymous complaints to the council.
Alastair, who is a joiner by trade, built his shed in August 2019 and it soon became home to two pigeons that were given to him by a friend.
Months went by without any issues before an environmental health officer knocked on the dad-of-three's door in October 2020.
Alastair said: “It actually started way back in August in 2019 when I built the shed. I built it for garden lawnmowers and stuff and storage.
"But a pal of mine, who keeps pigeons, me gave me a pair of pigeons just as pets which I keep in the shed and I've got three kids, so they kept some rabbits in there. That was fine, there was nothing said about it.
"It went until October last year and then I got the council and environmental health at the door.
"They said that a neighbour had complained about the pigeons. The council did a full inspection and said there's no problem, everything is nice and clean and tidy, they're only two pigeons and signed it off."
The family had thought that was the end of the issue but in January 2021 the council approached Alastair again after complaints were raised regarding a 'large structure' that had been built in his garden.
The confused dad couldn't believe it when he was forced to apply for planning permission for the shed - which he had built over a year ago.
He continued: “The council came back in January that they had been told I’d built a large structure in my garden. I said 'I hadn't built a large structure, it's the same shed'.
"So, I had to go for planning permission for the shed which just seemed to be absolutely ridiculous. I got 11 anonymous complaints on the planning portal online.
“All the people round about us don't have any issue. I’m good pals with all my immediate neighbours and they said they had no problem after a letter was sent around about it from the council."
Last week, while on holiday in Blackpool, Alastair learned that the council had granted him permission to keep the shed and his pigeons.
He admitted he couldn't wait to come home and get his banner up to celebrate his victory.
"We were down in Blackpool for five days and it was actually a neighbour who told us that the council had given us permission to keep the shed because they got a letter.
"So, I thought 'straight up the road and I'll put up that sign'.
"The sign was a bit of tongue and cheek because I don't know who complained. If someone had come to the door I would have compromised but it's just ridiculous.
"Since I've put up the sign, I've someone chap the door and give me flowers for my wife because it cheered them up when they saw it.
"We've had people walking by shouting over the wall 'well done' and cars driving by to take pictures and beeping the horn. It's just gone mental."
"People have said I have guts to do it but arguing and shouting is not my style. It's just a wee laugh."
For Alastair, who was struck down with coronavirus and furloughed during the pandemic, the sign was a bit of fun after a 'rotten' year.
"I was thinking this is the last thing we need, hassle over a shed. People have even come by now and said it's great to see your birds back out because I'd been trying to keep them inside for a while through this.
"The sign is just a wee bit of happiness after the time we've had over the last two years. We don't need to be complaining about each other it's just nonsense.
"If I was genuinely causing someone upset we would have done something right away but it was just pettiness."
