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Two pensioners were slapped with an "ASBO" for putting plants and a welcome mat outside their home of 35 years.

John Whelan, 70, and his wife Alicia, 67, were recently handed an "ASBO" for trying to brighten up the communal areas of Sefton Park tower block in breach of fire regulations.

Former project manager Mr Whelan said the corridor has been left looking like a ‘prison’ since residents of York House on Croxteth Drive were ordered to remove any decorations.

An injunction, which has been seen by the ECHO, was issued to Mr and Mrs Whelan in January, forbidding the couple from ‘placing any items in the communal areas’.

Mr Whelan claims the "ASBO", which lasts for the lifetime of the couple’s tenancy, could result in the couple being evicted - if they were to break the conditions of the order.

However, Your Housing Group stated that any eviction decision would be made by a judge and not by the housing association, in the event the couple did break the conditions of their order and found themselves back in court.

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

Residents are ordered to remove items from corridors and communal areas as part of a fire safety policy operated by Your Housing Group - the housing organisation responsible for the tower block.

Mr Whelan said the couple’s landing used to be a ‘delight’, which was full of plants they had nurtured for years, and a colourful ‘welcome’ doormat.

He said: “It’s utterly ridiculous and completely disproportionate to the issue and it’s a complete waste of resources on behalf of an organisation. The other aspect of it is, it’s actually laughable.

“My kids got a badge made for me - ‘proud ASBO’ - and everyone thinks it’s an absolute joke. On a personal and emotional level it has not bothered us has such because we’re involved in a bigger struggle. There’s a lot of pressure to conform.”

Alicia suffers from a number of health conditions, and Mr Whelan claims his wife’s poor health has been exacerbated by the removal of the plants.

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

A spokeswoman for Your Housing told the ECHO: “We have been working with Mr and Mrs Whelan for the past nine months to come to an agreement regarding the objects in the communal corridor.

“This is not about impinging on resident’s freedoms – they are free to display whatever plants they would like to inside their own homes and we encourage them to do this.

“Our fire safety policy is based on the assessment of professional independent fire risk assessors and advice from the fire service. The advice from the fire experts is that corridors and stairways that form part of an escape route in tower blocks must be kept clear and hazard-free at all times.

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

“As a landlord we have a legal obligation to ensure that our residents can safely evacuate the building in the event of a fire when time is of the essence and visibility is dramatically reduced by smoke.

“Corridors must also be clear of obstruction so that fire fighters can safely evacuate residents while fighting a fire.”

Speaking about the changes to York House’s communal spaces, Mr Whelan said: “Now our landing is indistinguishable from a prison – and our dark blue front door, amidst the bare cream walls and the echoing space, sadly emphasises the feeling that our home is now a cell.

He added: “In blocks like mine, what used to be a ‘social landlord’ is driving yet another nail into the coffin of ‘community’ and becoming a mix of policeman and jailer.”