An end to Conwy's wash day blues

The row of houses involved include the smallest house

Residents in the same street as Britain's smallest house have won the right to have their communal clothes line reinstated.

The line was removed last year during refurbishment work along Conwy's quayside but residents' disputes over it date back more than 100 years.

The line will be over the road from seven homes, which back onto the old town walls and have no back gardens.

A Conwy Council spokeswoman said they were happy to put the line back.

Disputes about the clothes lines along the quayside in Lower Gate Street can be traced back many years.

Ian Cunningham, who lives opposite where the line will be re-erected, said: "I have a newspaper cutting from 1898 when people in these houses were fighting to keep their clothes lines on the quay.

This is a triumph for the community Priscilla Kemp, Lower Gate Street resident

"There used to be a wooden jetty where the Trefriw steamer used to dock.

"The gentry did not like to see people's clothes lines as they walked along the jetty, so the seven lines were taken down, clothing and all."

The fishermen's wives at the time were not happy, however, and the clothes lines were soon back in place.

The modern-day, single line, put in place in 1994, was removed by workmen last year as they refurbished the quay front.

"Since then I've had to go to the launderette, and it has cost me a fortune," Mr Cunningham said.

Priscilla Kemp said she was fed up trying to dry clothing indoors

Neighbour Priscilla Kemp said she was struggling to dry her clothing "draped all over my house".

But following a campaign and a site visit by a council official and contractors on Wednesday, residents have been given assurances that a new 12-14ft (3.6-4.2m) line long will soon be in place.

"This is a triumph for the community, " said Mrs Kemp.

"The line will be two sheets long in length. It will be used on a first come, first served basis, although we work it out together when we can use it."

The battle over the clothes line is not completely won, however.

"We are still in discussion about having a line of flags put down for us to walk on under the line," Mrs Kemp added.

A Conwy Council spokeswoman said: "Now that most of the refurbishment work on Conwy Quay has been completed, we are happy to agree to the residents' request for the communal clothes line to be reinstated."