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Green-fingered residents who helped their street win awards with a blooming makeover have been asked to remove their planters from the area – because the council say they are causing an obstruction.

Rockcliffe Avenue, in Whitley Bay, has won several gongs in the North Tyneside in Bloom contest, including best community effort last year and best street effort in 2010.

The honours were won after residents helped to transform the pedestrianised pathway around six years ago, placing flower pots and plants outside homes.

Now the site has more than 300 colourful planters.

However, North Tyneside Council says not all residents are in favour of the pots and concerns have been raised with officers about the large number of items causing an obstruction, particularly for anyone with accessibility problems.

Mike Kelley, who led the transformation and has spent around ï¿½8,000 on the containers in the last six years, says they have been asked to remove the planters and replace them with ones that comply with safety standards.

The 55-year-old said: “I’m absolutely livid. This community has put in a lot of effort to make the street look nice.

“I have been putting out various planters and have spent a lot of money doing it. Other residents have added to that and also look after their gardens well. All this has helped us to win awards.

“This area has become a wildlife corridor and attracts butterflies, hedgehogs, bees and bats. Children from the nearby nursery come here for nature walks.

“Now the same council that gave us the awards wants us to remove the planters. They say the pots don’t comply with the right specifications and are an obstruction.

“We have put an application in for North Tyneside in Bloom again this year. But that may be in jeopardy if we have to remove all the pots.

“The council says we should apply for a grant and get planters that meet safety standards. Even if we get any money, how will the new planters fix the obstruction problem?”

Retired home carer Jenny Craig, who also lives on the street, added: “This pathway has given so much pleasure to so many people. It has improved the area, which used to suffer from anti-social behaviour some years ago. It’s like a little haven.”

And mum-of-two Laura Turville, 32, of nearby Edwards Road, said: “I bring my two children here all the time and they love it. We call it the secret garden. I think every street should be like this.”

Youngsters from the Rainbow Childcare Nursery, which backs on to Rockcliffe Avenue, carry out toddle activities in the area.

Manager Laura Guthzeit, 29, said: “We bring the children here and they love it. They point out all the little features and flowers. It’s a safe place to walk down here.”

A council spokesman said: “The council appreciates the efforts of residents of Rockcliffe Avenue.

“However, the number of planters has increased to an extent where they obstruct the pavement, particularly for those with accessibility needs.

“Not all residents agree to the scale of this community effort and have concerns about impact on the pathways.

“We have an obligation to protect the rights of the public to use the highway safely and we are working with the residents to try and achieve this.

“If residents agree, the council will encourage them to apply for grant funding to ensure that any planters that are used meet the required standards and comply with the safety requirements.”