FOR centuries walkers have enjoyed the sights and sounds of running water at Salmon Leap.

Those views were lost overnight when 6ft fences were installed on both sides of a bridge over the River Test to protect the river keeper and his family.

Now, much to the delight of ramblers, planning chiefs have ordered the fencing to be removed or they will tear it down themselves.

River keeper Graham Purbrick built the barriers at the quiet country glade in a desperate bid to curb the rowdy behaviour of teenage tearaways.

He has the full backing of his employers, Testwood Salmon Fisheries, and claims the fences were a last resort after thuggish youths terrorised his family for 14 years.

Although the public sympathised with Mr Purbrick's plight they are less understanding about the loss of the view caused by the fences.

Planning chiefs have threatened enforcement action if the fencing is not removed.

Mr Purbrick said: "The bridge is yards from my house. It adjoins my garden. It prevents people from stopping and loitering there for all hours of the night and deciding what mischief they're going to get up to.

"They stop on the bridge because it's the obvious place. Before it was a leaning post because the barriers were waist height. It was a place to loiter but now the fence means they can't do that."

He said he would appeal against any order to take down the fence.

He added: "It's privately owned down here. I don't see how these people have a right to impose restrictions that are going to have an impact on my safety with the level of abuse, violence and intimidation we have to put up with. Nobody is addressing the problem.

"It's nothing to do with people enjoying the view, it's the security and safety of my family."

Councillor Frank Bright, former chairman of Totton and Eling Town Council's planning and transport advisory committee, said the plan to pull down the fences had his "wholehearted support".

He said: "It's the only way to go. Let's get the things down - they're illegal - and then we can perhaps start talking to see what the problem is."

Steve Avery, a district council enforcement officer, said the fisheries firm had failed to apply for retrospective planning permission within a 28-day time limit.

He said: "The other side (the fisheries) are still maintaining they do not need permission. They're not going to change the situation so we're going to have to force their hand and serve an enforcement notice."

He said it would take a week to obtain an enforcement notice from the courts. If the company failed to comply with the notice within a month it would be a criminal offence, he added.

A police spokesman said Mr Purbrick had reported several crimes including one of assault.