A MUM who hired a bouncy castle for her triplets' birthday was stunned when POLICE were called – over NOISE complaints.
Leona Palmer, 49, was “shocked” when grumpy neighbours reported the wails of joy from the eight-year-olds pretending to be Avengers to police.
A PCSO was sent to the house to make enquiries – casting a shadow over the party being held with the inflatable at the property.
A neighbour then posted a poison pen letter through the family’s door, complaining about the sound of Leona’s three boys – Maxwell, Lincoln and Raymond – playing.
It read: "We want to make you aware that your children's constant screaming and shouting is having a detrimental effect on our peaceful enjoyment of our garden and home environment.
"On many occasions the noise can be heard clearly inside our house with all windows and doors shut. The noise is at times unbearable.
"This was a quiet neighbourhood until you moved in and we have had to endure the noise for two summers and we are no longer prepared to suffer another year.
"Whilst we appreciate children can often get excited and might at times be noisy, but it is the constant shouting and screaming that we cannot endure any longer.
It then threatened: "Would you please consider others around you and your neighbours and take measures to stop the noise as if things do not improve we will report you to the environmental health authorities as this level of noise constitutes anti-social behaviour and will not be tolerated any longer."
Leona blasted: "I can’t believe it. Especially after being in lockdown with children, I was shocked as we have never received a complaint since moving in three years ago.
"Due to Covid, the only outside space the children can go to is their own garden."
Stay-at-home mum Leona and hubby Craig, 40, arranged the outdoor bouncy castle for the birthdays of their sons on Saturday April 18 at their home in Burbage, near Hinckley, Leics.
They organised a 'rota system' for family members to visit so that they could stick to the government's rule-of-six.
But a PCSO then turned up after a neighbour claimed up to 15 people were at the bash. Five days later the anonymous letter arrived via First Class post.
Leona added: "We thought we had a good relationship with all our neighbours so we're very upset. It felt very judgemental.
"The complaint didn't bother us as much as we knew we hadn't broken any rules, and the PCSO was very friendly and fair.
"But the last thing we then expected was a threatening letter in the post – all it takes is a knock on the door and a friendly chat.
"The thing is, we bring our children up to have respect for others, they have impeccable manners and are well behaved.
"They giggle, they laugh, they put on costumes so they can sing, dance and put on shows, they jump on their trampoline.
"they play football, they play in the paddling pool, they climb the tree, they put on superhero costumes to play-fight and pretend to be The Avengers – is that so wrong?
"Yes, sometimes they argue and shout at each other, and get overexcited, but they don't make any more noise than any other children do.
"At the same time we're very conscious of other people around us and always make sure that the children aren't too noisy and boisterous – even we don't like too much noise.
"We have boundaries and we tell them off and send them inside if they are too loud – we do not let our children run riot.
"They are never outside on weekends or during school holidays before 11am or after 7pm, and during school term time they are only in the garden in the afternoon for two hours at the most.
"Obviously during the last 12 months of lockdown they have been in the garden more often, but it's the only outside space they were able to use."
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC) said that it has not received any such complaints in 2021 and that noise from children is not “abnormal”.
A spokeswoman said: "Noise from children is not abnormal noise and is to be expected from a family home."
Leicestershire Police said they had been called to an alleged disturbance and possible lockdown breach.
A spokesman said: "Officers attended the address and spoke to those present.
“From enquiries carried out officers were satisfied that no restrictions had been breached.”
Source: Read Full Article