PROTESTER Sue Heald brought building work on the new River Way development to a halt on Monday morning when she handcuffed herself to the gates.

She was complaining mainly about the construction of a two-storey building for four one-bedroom flats in the area of the site closest to her property and to her neighbour's home.

Some residents thought the flats were going to be built on the far side of the development, which is near the new Phoenix Community Centre and replaces the old River House complex.

But Sue said: "We saw the foundations being built and found out from workmen on site that the nearest building was going to be the four one-bedroom flats."

She fears this will intrude on her privacy and attract the wrong kind of tenant for social housing.

"We've spent years getting rid of River House, now there's going to be social housing and we'll have no privacy at all," said Sue.

And she added: "Some people might call it snobbery but they don't have to put up with the drunks and druggies and all their dealing."

In protest Sue handcuffed herself to the gates of the building site at 7.15am on Monday to prevent workmen getting into the site.

The police arrived shortly afterwards and attempted to persuade Mrs Heald to abandon her vigil, but to no avail.

By 8.45am workmen had breached the perimeter by pulling away one of the boundary boards so they could enter the site and start working.

But it was not until Testway Housing chief executive John Spens arrived to talk to the protesters that things started to move.

#He told protesters that Testway won planning permission for the development about a year ago - and the positioning of the flats had not changed.

Mrs Heald said she either wanted Testway to relocate the flats or move her to another home.

She eventually left with Mr Spens to discuss the plans, leaving neighbour Rachel Perry to continue the vigil handcuffed to the gates.

The protest eventually ended peacefully at about 10.30am and afterwards Mrs Heald said that Testway had promised to provide them with an answer by today or tomorrow.

But Mrs Heald warned: "If we don't get the answer we want we will back there again on Monday morning."

Mr Spens said later: "Bearing in mind we got planning permission last year and the flats are being built, it is a bit late to be making adjustments.

"Indeed, any serious adjustments could affect the financial viability of the scheme.

"I accept that the residents do have some genuine concerns and I have undertaken to investigate these as soon as possible."