Gnome letter 'is bogus'

The prankster used a 'gnome de plume'

People in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, are being warned about a bogus council official demanding they remove garden gnomes.

It follows an incident in which a householder received a letter apparently from a planning officer called "N Parker".

It said a number of ornaments in the garden contravened planning laws.

But Dave Brooks, from Amber Valley Borough Council, said demands would never be made in such a way.

He said: "We don't make up acts of parliament to threaten people with.

"If we take action, it is done on specific-headed note paper, it's done with visits and contact with people.

"We wouldn't just thrust a letter at somebody to say you've got to do something otherwise we will come around and take particular action to remove."