Residents in a picturesque village are up in arms after their neighbour tore up a communal green and laid a "terrible" 150ft gravel PATH in its place.

Police were called to sleepy Miller Walk after Valerie Vivian was spotted attacking the ground with a shovel at the crack of dawn.

Despite pleas from horrified locals for her to stop, the determined pensioner dug up the jointly-owned turf before laying gravel in its place.

When she refused, they called the police and four officers arrived in the quiet cul-de-sac in Bath, Somerset, to diffuse the rising tensions.

But instead of ordering Ms Vivian to cease the work, they allowed Ms Vivian to complete the illegal path - and threatened to arrest anyone who tried to intervene.