Horse rescue operator in bitter Wolverhampton land dispute told to leave site today

Wendy Chambers has been keeping horses in a field on Grassy Lane, Bushbury, for almost 25 years.

But last week, staff from a private enforcement firm turned up to change the locks and issue her with an abandonment notice. Officers from West Midlands Police were also at the scene.

The notice period as issued by Wilson and Roe, High Court Enforcement, states that Wendy has until 5pm today to remove everything from the land, including four horses, a ram and a goat, which she describes as her "babies".

The abandonment notice issued to Wendy outlines that the livestock in question will be "re-homed, sold, or humanely destroyed" if Wendy does not "retain ownership".

Miss Chambers, of Keats Road, Low Hill, explained that she is in a dispute with Sandhills Estates Limited, who first approached her in 2013 concerning the ownership of the land which is part of a plan for local housing.

She said: "I'm doing a good thing there and it's like I'm losing all my family, I'm scared to go on the field on my own since they came last time, I was petrified.

"It's the animals' home, that is what I'm fighting for. They haven't got a voice - I am the owner so that is why I've been fighting for the last however many years for the horses' rights – that's their home.

"I get the children down the fields working, learning how to build and paint, we have life skills down there – it's no classroom, there's no paper or pens, we're all in the same boat.

"They'll go from nine in the morning if it's summer and they are there until 10 at night – we've been doing it years and then someone comes like that and says 'no'."

About 20 residents came together on April 12 to express their concern over the field being part of the plan for local housing, with many having enjoyed Wendy and her animals being at the site for nearly three decades.

Keith Jones, whose house backs onto the field, said: "We have always had this field, apparently there was a covenant to say it can only be used for grazing animals or sports, it used to be a sports field years ago so we've always had this lovely outlook at the back, then the horses came which was a bit of a bonus and also Wendy has secured the field.

"Before Wendy and the horses came, you used to have people walking across the field at the back of the houses and we've been burgled since we moved in with them getting in from the back – it's had its security as well."

Faye Thompson has been working closely with Wendy to fight for her ownership of the land.

She added: "We live in the same street as Wendy, our kids come down here and do a lot for Wendy with the animals and the fields, they do a lot of boot sales with Wendy in the summer and things like that. We leave all our potato peelings, everybody in the street, she's got a tray on the wall we go to put it in.

"Our kids in the six weeks holidays are going to be bored because Wendy does a lot for them. A lot of the children who have been kicked out of school and she's had them down here doing work to keep them out of trouble. My son was kicked out of school in Year Six, he's been in loads of behavioural schools and has ADHD and she does a lot for him – this is all she knows."

During the coronavirus lockdown the site was used for serving meals to struggling residents. Families and a nearby children's nursery also visit to see the animals.

The enforcement company and the police have been approached for comment.