The secret house was hidden behind fake garage doors (SWNS)

A couple who used a fake garage door and a high fence to hide a secret home from their local council have been fined.

Reeta Herzallah and Hamdi Almasri breached planning regulations and were eventually caught in October 2015, Blaby District Council said.

Planning permission was granted for a development in 2007, but included conditions stating that car parking facilities, including the garage, should remain available permanently.

View photos A high fence was also used to keep the house hidden from the council (SWNS) More

View photos Reeta Herzallah and Hamdi Almasri breached planning regulations and were eventually caught in October 2015 (SWNS) More

View photos The garage will now have to be restored to its former use (SWNS) More

At Leicester Magistrates’ Court, Herzallah and Almasri, of Old Church Road in Enderby, Leicestershire, were each ordered to pay a £770 fine, legal costs of £1,252, and a £77 victim surcharge.

The garage will now have to be restored to its former use after a series of follow-up visits by the council resulted in the discovery of a series of planning breaches.

Most popular today on Yahoo News UK

Councillor Sheila Scott, portfolio holder for Planning, Housing Strategy, Economic & Community Development, said: “The message from this case is clear. If you breach planning regulations and ignore us we will not just go away.

“Creating an access onto the busy B4114 and blocking off valuable off-road parking space was completely unacceptable.

“We will be following up the successful prosecution with a further visit to ensure that all the requirements of the Breach of Condition Notice are fully complied with.”