Friday 29 May 2009

The Case of the Cracked Fence

Just when our neighbours were about to put up a brand new fence between our properties a car rolled into our own new fence at the back of our house. We are destined to be forever surrounded by holes. Luckily the damage was restricted to one and a half panels and one post. They are still standing, if a little crookedly and with parts missing at the base, so Garden Girl and Garden Boy can't escape onto the road behind the house.

My Little Garden Helpers and I were inside making dinner when we heard the creaking and cracking of wood. Garden Girl came running to me asking 'What's that noise?'. At first I thought our neighbours had started to rip out the old fence, but when I went to look no panels had been removed. And then I saw the bowing, cracked fence at the back.

I went to investigate and a friendly postman, who had stopped to help, explained he had seen the car roll over the grass behind our house, stopped in its tracks by our fence. He gave me the registration number and I contacted the police. Meanwhile, a gentleman, who had rushed back to his house to freshen up before visiting his son in hospital, was phoning the police to report his car stolen. He had only nipped inside for five minutes and when he came back out his car was nowhere to be seen. In all his rush to get to hospital he hadn't put the handbrake on properly and his car had rolled down his drive, over the road, over the pavement and grass verge until it hit our fence.

The police visited us to explain what had happened and our neighbour called around to apologise and offer to pay for the fence but really we were just relieved it was an unfortunate accident, rather than an abandoned car. Garden Girl was thrilled to meet two policemen in full uniform, but was disappointed they didn't stay long enough for her to make them her a cup of tea in her play kitchen. Garden Boy was just a little bit annoyed his dinner was late.

2 comments:

  1. Thank goodness no one was hurt, that's the main thing.

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  2. Same as Jo - thank goodness GG & GB were inside when it happened.

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