It was meant to provide a safe haven for elderly tenants tormented by thugs using a Bradford park.

But a fenced-off area of Greengates recreation ground looks set to disappear after it has emerged social housing landlord Incommunities failed to get permission for it from Bradford Council.

Disabled Thomas Vincent, 82, and his neighbour Mary Faddington, 83, who lives in flats above Brunswick Road, Greengates, had been plagued by teenagers throwing bags of dog excrement and rubbish at their homes and daubing their windows with paint.

Mr Vincent and Mrs Faddington got it painted, put up hanging baskets, planted pots and were even going to grow their own vegetables until the Council intervened.

Now supporters of the pensioners are threatening to camp out in protest if the fence comes down.

Mr Vincent’s daughter Angel Phillis said Incommunities had informed them either the fence had to be removed or re-aligned at an angle and so that it was only a metre away from the house in some places.

Mrs Phillis said: “If that happens they’ll be caged in. Mary says she won’t be able to breathe. They’re both really upset because they’ve felt so much safer since the fence went up. It’s not harming anyone, it’s not obstructing any pathway. They’re worried sick things will go back to how they were.

“Friends and family are that worried about them that they are planning to camp out in the garden so the fence can’t be moved.”

Ward Councillor Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley)) said: “Incommunities are the rogues here. They have not approached the Council.

“They’ve just shoved up a massive fence and taken a chunk of the park. You can’t do that. I have every sympathy with the residents and with their predicament but Incommunities should have had a discussion with the Council first.”

An Incommunities spokesman said positive feedback from residents about the fence showed the measure had “greatly improved their quality of life”.

“We are liaising with the Council over to seek a satisfactory resolution to this matter and one which does not affect the residents concerned.”

Mr Vincent remained full of praise for Incommunities.