A WOMAN is leading calls to ban children from playing football in a city park, claiming "a gang of screaming kids" is making her life a misery.
Margaret Thomas believes she is unfairly being branded a killjoy by some parents of children who use the park – which is meant for toddlers – next to her home.
But 65-year-old Ms Thomas, who is a retired personal assistant, is begging the council to recognise that she is at her wit's end and has been plagued by the "unbearable" noise of screaming and shouting for five years.
Ms Thomas's complaint comes after Hull City Council sent hundreds of letters to residents warning about "antisocial ball games."
Ms Thomas, who has compiled a 54-page "noise diary" and has made recordings of disturbances, said: "I am not against children playing. But they're wild. Some days I have counted up to 17 children, aged from about seven to 14, and the noise is absolutely deafening.
"I am not a killjoy. I just want to be able to sleep or listen to music or read a book without being disturbed by a ball being kicked into my property or being drowned out by the noise of a gang of screaming kids.
"Children can play in their own gardens and kick the ball at their own properties for a change and not make the lives of others so miserable.
"Friends have resorted to sending letters, because they have given up trying to ring me. They can't hear me.
"The parents of some of the children who think I'm a moaning old woman should listen to what I have to put up with."
Ms Thomas, of Tudor Drive, off Hall Road, north Hull, says she has complained to the city council and inspectors, after intervention from the Local Government Ombudsman, have carried out noise monitoring at her home.
"I keep getting fobbed off," she said.
"I have been complaining for years about this, but the council refuses to do anything to abate the noise or to stop the ball games.
"When I've reported a problem, the antisocial behaviour team has been out but by the time they have got here the children have gone in for their tea.
"I have exhausted all avenues of the complaints procedure."
Ms Thomas says the children responsible for the noise range in age from seven to 14.
Councillor Joyce Korczak Fields, who has seen the problem for herself, said: "Certainly, I can testify there is a problem. It's appalling what she has to put up with.
"During a ten-minute conversation I had with Margaret while I sat in my wheelchair next to her property, I was hit in the back of my head with a football. Another ball hit my wheelchair."
Cllr Korczak Fields says she has submitted a report to the Guildhall detailing Ms Thomas's complaints.
She said: "I rang her not long ago and I couldn't hear a word of what she was saying. I asked if she was outside, but she was actually indoors.
"I saw her again recently and I hardly recognised her. It's no exaggeration – she's lost weight and has aged because of this."
Ms Thomas, who has lived in the avenue for five years, she has received verbal abuse when she has asked children to keep the noise down.
She said: "When I bought the house I was told there were no problems from the park. Judging from the play equipment, it's meant for toddlers."
In April, leaflets were sent through the city's Neighbourhood Network groups to residents across Hull ahead of warmer weather.
It says the council frequently receives complaints from residents about ball games during the warmer months.
In response to Ms Thomas' complaint, Trevor Todd, assistant head of service for public protection, said: "The noise nuisance complaint has been fully investigated by the council and the Local Government Ombudsman who discontinued their investigation.
"Ms Thomas has been advised that she has an option of taking the case to court herself.
"Since September 7, 2010 we have been working with Ms Thomas regarding her concerns about noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour within the park close to her property.
"While we understand Ms Thomas's concerns, Environmental Regulation Officers visited her property 36 times as well as installing noise recording equipment to monitor the level of noise in accordance with our noise policy and procedures.
"However, the officers did not consider the noise from the children to be at the level considered as a nuisance and therefore were unable to take further action."
