A PENSIONER has contacted police after claiming villagers made false allegations to the local planning authority about him.

David Saddington, of Faceby, near Stokesley, North Yorkshire, was reported to the North York Moors National Park Authority for building an annex on a house he owned in the village, without planning permission.

But the 82-year-old said he never built the extension, and those who made the claim were just being malicious.

The semi-retired farmer said: "I've lived here more than 60 years, and there's never been anything like this happen before.

"They must have known it wasn't true. Yes, I built a wall, but I was allowed to do that under permitted development rights.

"I could even have built an annex if I wanted to, but I didn't".

Mr Saddington is angry that the park authority has refused to disclose the names of those who complained. He said: "How much longer do we have to endure people spreading false information, causing so much stress, anxiety, expense and trouble?"

The pensioner put up a notice on his wall in the village calling on those responsible to be exposed. However, he said, his notices had been torn down.

In response, Val Dilcock, chief planning officer for the National Park authority, said an officer investigated the complaint, but quickly realised no planning laws had been broken.

She added that releasing the names of complainants would discourage residents from passing on information to the authority.

The house at the centre of the row has now been sold.