'They kept digging': Workmen dig trench around pensioner's home in hunt for faulty pipes

Ross McGuinness
Updated ·3 min read
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Frank was awoken to find workmen digging up his garden. See SWNS story SWLSdig. A pensioner has been left furious after bungling workmen barricaded him inside his own home when they dug a trench in his garden and driveway. Frank Farmer, 67, was woken up to the sound of diggers tearing up his lawn and patio outside his home in the village of Claines, Worcs. Frank Farmer, of Claines, has spoken about his
Workmen dug a trench around a pensioner's home to locate some faulty pipes. (SWNS)

An angry pensioner says he felt trapped in his own home after workmen dug a trench on his property to locate faulty pipes.

Frank Farmer, 67, a retired police officer, was woken by the sound of diggers ripping up his garden and driveway at his home in the village of Claines, Worcestershire.

Contractors working on behalf of Cadent Gas dug up his lawn and patio on 26 May to find some old pipes which needed replacing.

Farmer said workmen used a sledgehammer to smash flagstones his father had laid at the property in the 1960s.

Frank Farmer. See SWNS story SWLSdig. A pensioner has been left furious after bungling workmen barricaded him inside his own home when they dug a trench in his garden and driveway. Frank Farmer, 67, was woken up to the sound of diggers tearing up his lawn and patio outside his home in the village of Claines, Worcs. Frank Farmer, of Claines, has spoken about his
Frank Farmer is angry at Cadent Gas for digging up his patio and garden at his home in Claines, Worcestershire. (SWNS)

He has been left with a 3ft deep trench around his home.

“I woke up and heard someone outside and when I questioned them they said they were digging the gas pipe up," said Farmer.

“I said that there’s no gas pipe there, and that it’s the mains line.

“They kept digging but couldn't actually trace the pipework. That resulted in the excavation of the entire driveway.

“They still couldn’t find the pipework. There was no care taken over it, it was a just a shoddy work.

“They were actually digging my lawn up, without telling me. There was a large trench around my house trapping me inside."

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Frank was awoken to find workmen digging up his garden. See SWNS story SWLSdig. A pensioner has been left furious after bungling workmen barricaded him inside his own home when they dug a trench in his garden and driveway. Frank Farmer, 67, was woken up to the sound of diggers tearing up his lawn and patio outside his home in the village of Claines, Worcs. Frank Farmer, of Claines, has spoken about his
A contractor digging a trench at Frank Farmer's property in Claines, Worcestershire. (SWNS)

Farmer said the only notification he received from Cadent Gas came last November, informing residents they would be “working in the area”.

He said: “I had no idea my driveway and garden would be turned into a deep trench or muddy moat. It’s a disgrace.”

After the work was completed, the contractors filled in the hole with gravel, which Farmer said included sharp screws.

Frank's lawn looks patchy after Cadent Gas dug up his grass. See SWNS story SWLSdig. A pensioner has been left furious after bungling workmen barricaded him inside his own home when they dug a trench in his garden and driveway. Frank Farmer, 67, was woken up to the sound of diggers tearing up his lawn and patio outside his home in the village of Claines, Worcs. Frank Farmer, of Claines, has spoken about his
The lawn of Frank Farmer's garden looks patchy after it was dug up and filled in again. (SWNS)

“It’s just been blunder after blunder," he said.

"Not only did they dig a great big hole in my driveway, but they filled it in with material which could quite easily puncture the tyres of my car."

Farmer has since been quoted £1,600 by a landscaping company to return his garden to the way it looked before it was dug up.

Cadent Gas has apologised for the damage to the garden and driveway.

Elliott Nelson, director of Cadent in the West Midlands, said: “We've investigated this matter and can confirm that the service we provided fell below the standards we expect from Cadent.

“We have taken learnings from this and have spoken to Mr Farmer and apologised for any distress this matter has caused.

"Our teams are keeping in close contact with him throughout the remainder of the works to ensure a positive resolution.”