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Anorak News | Up In Smoke

Up In Smoke

by | 9th, January 2007

“YOU COULDN’T LIGHT IT UP.”

So says the Sun’s front-page headline. And the news is that a “fuming” couple have been warned about smoking in their own home.

The paper champions the cause of Jeanette Gordon–Crawley and her husband Gavin, who both live in a council house in Caenarfon, North Wales.

A letter had dropped through their letterbox. It is from the council. It is headed “Alleged Odour Nuisance”.

The letter, written by Moira Duell, an environmental health officer with Gwynedd County Council, North Wales, reads as follows: “I recently received a complaint concerning the above. Although at the present time the complaint has not been investigated, the complainant(s) have been informed to keep records of the alleged nuisance.

“Your neighbour alleges cigarette smoke is permeating into her living room from your property. To enable further investigation I would like to visit your property to discuss the matter further.”

Gavin calls the missive “pathetic”. Jeanette is “angry”. She is pictured defiantly smoking a cigarette. Gavin says “You couldn’t make it up”. He wonders is it might be “some sort of joke”.

Says Jeanette: “We can’t see how smoke from our house could possibly get into the house next door.”

But we can. Just as we can realise how driving a 4×4 vehicle into central London can causes penguins to drown. Just as we can see how blowing your nose in Bridlington brings about a hurricane in New Orleans.

Just as we can see how our political leaders’ windmilling arms and flights to Florida and Norway will keep the icecaps hard and the world pure.

It’s the way of the world. It’s the environment.

Right is it that their neighbours should report Jeanette and Gavin. There is something bigger at stake here than liberty and choice.

Isn’t there…



Posted: 9th, January 2007 | In: Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink