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A council has ordered an elderly gardener to remove his two garden gnomes under health and safety rules - because they moon at passers by.

Laurence Perry, 77, erected the two cheeky ornaments of gnomes baring their backside on a grass verge outside his home in a bid to cheer up his neighbourhood.

But he got a letter from officials claiming the gnomes could cause a ‘distraction’ to motorists as they light up at night and warned they would cause an accident.

They told Mr Perry to clear the offending items within seven days or workman would be called out to remove them - and bill the pensioner.

(Image: Jacob King/Mercury Press) (Image: Jacob King/Mercury Press)

Mr Perry, who lives in the village of Wistaton near Nantwich, Cheshire, said: “I feel very disappointed. My daughter bought them for Father’s Day as a bit of fun as she knows I like a laugh.

“I’ve worked with others for four years to turn a piece of land which had been left overgrown, covered in broken bottles and bricks, into a more attractive area.

“It’s all been self-funded as we were turned down for funding by the parish council .

“We even bought the sign that says ‘Wonderful Wistaston’ – now I feel like replacing it with one that says ‘Miserable Wistaston’.

(Image: Jacob King/Mercury Press)

(Image: Caters News Agency)

“I’ll put one on garden wall – as that’s my land. And I’ll replace the other with a gnome with his trousers on! Hopefully, no one will find that offensive.”

A Cheshire East Council spokesman said: “While we do not wish to spoil people’s fun, there is a safety issue here as such objects could easily cause a distraction to motorists and other road users, leading to an accident.

“We received a complaint about these ornaments which, while seemingly harmless, are designed to attract attention and light up at night.

“Therefore, we have to take steps to have them removed in the interests of road safety and the safety of pedestrians.”