Thursday 30 October 2008

Hallowen is getting nearer!

Man ordered to take down his Halloween decorations because they are too scary. A man has been ordered to take down the Halloween decorations on his house because they are too scary. Graham Walls, 28, was told by his landlords to remove the array of life-size spooky creatures adorning the outside of his home after passing mums complained the display was terrifying their kids. Lighting technician Graham spent £600 on the ghostly get-up - which includes skeletons, zombies, witches and a tombstone - hung on the front walls of his home in Hove, East Sussex. Letting agents this week wrote to Graham to tell him that if he didn't remove the decorations they would take them down themselves and send him the bill - on top of a fine. The letter claimed Graham had "defaced" the building and sparked complaints from other tenants whose kids were scared of the array of monsters and ghouls. But Graham, who shares the flat with nurse girlfriend Debbie Harris, said: "Neighbours wanted to start a campaign to keep them. Everyone's been asking why I've taken them down because they were so popular. "Last year I put them up for the first time and had no complaints but that was a different property management company." He added: "It's just a bit of fun. I thought with all the horror shows that kids are exposed to these days there wouldn't be a problem with these decorations. "It's sad to have to take them down as so many people thought they were great."

Neighbour Alicia Lane, a 29-year-old youth worker, is among those backing Graham. She said: "People put up far more at Christmas and it was done for community spirit, to make the kids smile." But mum Sally Hollis, 41, who lives nearby, said: "My kids had the life scared out of them when they saw the zombies hanging on the wall outside the flat. "They kept asking if they would come alive at night and come and get them. I must admit I was a little scared of them too - they were very lifelike and realistic," Letting agents Estate and Property Management, based in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, said: "It is against the terms of the lease to put anything on the communal parts of the building and, as such, we had no alternative but to request they come down."

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