Fury as spooky ‘effigies’ suddenly appear at roadside in bizarre long-running neighbour row – with kids left terrified

VILLAGERS have been left furious as spooky “effigies” suddenly appeared on a quiet country lane, leaving children terrified.

Creepy dummies and stuffed figurines have been carefully arranged on the roadside of Court Hill in Littlebourne, near Canterbury following a long-running neighbour row.

Villagers have been baffled by who is responsible for the bizarre display, prompting complaints about it scaring kids and distracting motorists.

Along with stuffed old fancy-dress costumes, skeletons, and homemade signs, there are several more hanging from a metal gate near a caravan.

Some of the characters are standing up, while others sit down on the grass, wearing unsettling masks with creepy smiles.

One enormous orange creature holds a handwritten sign reading “Dumped here” and “Aspbestos”.

There is also an old-fashioned pram that has a dummy dressed in black and a top hat, hanging on to one side.

The creepy homemade dummies appeared as part of a dispute between a woman living in a caravan and an agricultural business.

Stevie Lowe moved on to land owned by EH Holdstock & Son two years ago – but the business says she did so without permission.

Despite being issued with “official notices”, Stevie has refused to leave the site and has started filling the area with the strange effigies.

Stevie says the display is intended to draw attention to a long-running disagreement over material found near the site which she claims contains asbestos.

It’s not been established what the material is or who originally left it there.

Stevie said: “I informed the farmer and asked him to move it.”

Despite the attention they have attracted, Stevie says the collection is far from finished.

“I’ve got four more effigies to put up,” she said.

Her partner, Dereck Owens, said: “We found the asbestos two years ago in August, so it could have been here for any amount of time before that.”

Stevie says she has refused to leave while it remains there, arguing she is concerned for relatives and other families living nearby.

“Move it, and then I’ll move,” she said. “That’s it. Simple.”

But EH Holdstock & Son strongly disputes her account, saying: “They have never been given permission to be there.

“The correct procedures have been followed and they have been issued numerous official notices to leave in the presence of the police.

“The farm is working with the police, city council, parish council and the courts in addressing the matter.”

The company also alleges the pair have moved asbestos around the land, restricted access, verbally abused staff and vandalised farm equipment.

Stevie admitted she did not ask for permission to move onto the land, but claimed she had previously been told she could stay and strongly denies vandalising equipment or abusing staff.

However, she confirmed she had moved the material she believes is asbestos to the farm’s gates.

Stevie says she was issued with two notices to leave, but claims they did not appear to be from a solicitor.

Meanwhile, the effigies have continued to multiply, with Stevie saying she is aware of complaints about the display and claims she has been told some children find the figures scary.

But she has no plans to take them down while the dispute continues.

Canterbury City Council says there is no active planning enforcement case at the site and that, as it is privately owned, the authority has no involvement in the dispute or rubbish there.

Kent Police also searched its records and said it could find no relevant incidents at Court Hill from the beginning of this year.

A spokesperson said the circumstances appeared to be “more of a civil matter than a policing one currently”.