Lord feels heat over fireplace

David Piper: Faces legal action

The former owner of an historic Devon house has lost a High Court battle over a fireplace he removed from the listed building.

Council officials alleged the gothic fireplace, estimated to be worth about £70,000, had been removed unlawfully from Warleigh House, near Plymouth.

Mr Piper, who became famous after placing a lonely hearts advert, has since sold the £2.4 million house.

The judge Mr Justice Keith also ordered Mr Piper to pay £4,500 legal costs.

A senior judge refused David Piper, Lord of the Manor of Warleigh, permission to challenge an enforcement notice requiring him to reinstate the chimney piece.

Sense of humour

Mr Piper, 53, could now face legal action by South Hams District Council, which issued the notice two years ago.

Council officials alleged the late 18th or early 19th century gothic fireplace had been removed unlawfully from the billiard room and library at Warleigh House.

Mr Piper, who became famous after placing a lonely hearts advert in the International Herald Tribune seeking a soulmate with a sense of humour, retained six acres of the 111-acre estate after selling the house.

He argued that the fireplace could not be traced and was a modern copy which could be replaced with a modern copy.

But Mr Justice Keith said the original could probably be found and agreed with a planning inspector that a replica would not be "appropriate in architectural or historic terms".