A MOTHER plans to sell her home after a bitter dispute with neighbours over a right of way through her back garden ended in court.

Melissa Glen plans to put her house in Crosby Street, Darlington, up for sale after a legal battle with neighbours Trevor and Marilyn Fenton.

The Fentons have a right of way through Miss Glen's back garden, which they use regularly, causing friction between the two households.

Ms Glen, 27, who lives in the house with her partner, Melvyn Simpson, and four young children, bolted the garden gate between the two properties earlier this year, preventing access across her land.

The Fentons took the matter to the County Court and yesterday, following a site visit, District Judge John Bailey ordered that the right of way, which has been in existence since the early 1900s, should be reopened.

Ms Glen said: "I am absolutely devastated. When we bought this property, the right of way was not on the deeds.

"We expected to be here for life, but now we are going to have to move."

Over the past year, relationships between the two parties have turned sour, with allegations of intimidation and threats from both sides.

Judge Bailey said: "There has been, unfortunately, over a period of time, disharmony between the two parties.

"It has been an extremely bitter and unfortunate dispute."

He ordered that both parties were to refrain from harassing and causing nuisance to each other, and that the Fentons were not to stray from the right of way and damage Miss Glen's property.

He also ordered that the Fentons remove razor wire they had put up along the wall separating the homes.

He warned that if either party breaches the order, they could be fined or jailed.

Kelly Henderson, representing the Fentons, said: "Mr and Mrs Fenton always had the benefit of this right of way. It has been unfortunate that they had to bring this matter to court.

"For the sake of both parties, they hope the matter can be put behind them."