Police have visited a 73 year old woman from Bridlington, East Yorkshire who had kept footballs kicked over her fence by local children and damaged her plants. She was told she would otherwise face a charge of theft. Probably, nonsense!
If a ball or some other chattel turns up uninvited on your land and damages your property, you are legally entitled to hold on to it until the owner of the chattel has paid you compensation for the damage. This is swingingly called - altogether now - the right of distress damage feasant. If its a tiger, elephant or some other animal that has paid the unwelcome visit, then special rules apply so check up on the law before locking it in the bathroom.
Must go. I think I just glimpsed a rhinoceros eating my dahlias.
