Shropshire Star

Telford OAP’s fury as police break his door down

A pensioner who was awoken by police breaking into his property because his water tank was overflowing has accused them of over-reacting.

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Frederick Burns said he was in bed at his terraced house in Summerhill, Sutton Hill, Telford, at 10.30pm on Monday when police forced his front door.

He said they had knocked on his front door, but he did not answer because it was late at night and he did not know who they were.

"They then bashed in the front door, and said they had got a call from a neighbour about water coming from my overflow," said Mr Burns, a 76-year-old retired clerk of works.

"All that had happened was my ballcock had become stuck.

"Everybody should know it was just an overflow coming from the header tank, it obviously wasn't from the bath because it was right at the top.

"They said they had a duty of care to respond.

"It's not so much me that I'm worried about, but it could be some little old lady."

He added that his front door had not open and closed properly since the incident, and has now lodged a formal complaint with the police.

West Mercia Police spokesman Paul Roberts said the officers had responded in good faith after receiving a call from a worried neighbour.

He said: "Officers were called to the concerns for the safety of an elderly man at a property in Summerhill, Sutton Hill, Telford, around 10.15pm on 19 June, after neighbours reported not seeing him in several days.

"On arrival, officers discovered a significant amount of water coming from an overflow pipe and knocked on the front door, further attempting to identify themselves by shouting through the letterbox."

Mr Roberts said that after receiving no response, officers decided to force entry to check on the man's welfare.

He said while they were trying to enter the house the man called to them from an upstairs window, and officers stopped their attempt to force entry to the property.