If you live next door to a family, then you'll no doubt be familiar with the knock on your door that you get the minute they accidentally kick a football a little too hard and it ends up in your garden.
And while most kids can keep their toys in their own gardens for the most part, one mum has been left at her wits' end, because her neighbours somehow manage to kick multiple balls into her garden daily.
The mum explained that on an "average summer's day" her neighbours will kick at least 10 balls over their fence, and if she doesn't throw them back immediately, they'll come into her garden themselves to pick them up.
According to the mum, she and her husband have been dealing with this for around five years, and she's even asked her neighbours to investigate getting a net for their garden, but was told the quote was far too expensive.
Now, with winter almost behind us, the mum has said she's beginning to dread going out into her garden once the weather warms up, as she knows the kids will be up to their old tricks again.
She said in a post on Mumsnet: "For the past five years, we have had to deal with almost constant balls being kicked over into our garden from the house behind, and as their children get older, these are being kicked into our garden with increasing force. On an average summer's day, a minimum of 10 balls will come over.
"If we do not throw them over they will come into our garden and take them, which we have caught them doing and asked them not to, but suspect they still do on occasion.
"It has got a bit ridiculous at times and we have suggested they consider a net to stop the issue but they have said they got a quote and it's far too expensive.
"Fast forward to now and we have a toddler, and we have just completed an extension, and are finalising our garden. Funnily enough, whilst the works were being done, no balls have been coming into our garden, but as the builders and heavy machinery in our back garden have left, so begins the balls once again."
The woman also said she's worried for the safety of her toddler who could be hit by a ball at any moment while wandering around in the garden.
And to make matters even worse, the children next door often play in the garden until 10 pm, and the banging sound of the balls hitting the fence has prevented her toddler from sleeping - so she's had to move their bedroom to the front of the house.
She added: "As the weather gets better the balls will only get worse. I'm mindful that I don't want to start any neighbour disputes.
"I should add that on weekends balls are being kicked over (and against the fence) often until 9/10 pm, meaning that I'm forced to have my toddler's bedroom in our front, tiny, box room, rather than the much larger back bedroom.
"This wasn't an issue as a baby but as they've started to grow, I could do with putting them in the larger bedroom but I'm 100% certain that the shrieks and repeated bangs of balls being kicked against walls and fences would keep them awake."
Commenters on the post were sympathetic to the mum's situation, and many offered suggestions that included only giving the balls back on bin collection day, and investing in a stronger and taller fence to keep the kids from getting into her garden without her consent.
One person said: "Well, you've been reasonable so now you're going to have to not be reasonable. Every ball that comes over gets taken in. Every week they go out with the bins."
And other added: "How are they getting into your garden themselves? I'd do something about that first, secure your fence enough that no one can get into your garden without knocking on your front door first."
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