Children living on an estate have been banned from playing outside their homes, furious patents claim.
Parents erupted with fury when they received a letter from their housing association asking to keep their kids’ fun confined to their gardens on a nearby park.
Residential Management Group say youngsters have been playing in front of people’s houses and near cars on the Stonemead estate in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester causing a ‘disturbance’.
The letter reads: ‘We please ask that children do not play on the street or on residents’ fronts and instead use their own gardens or the community spaces off site.
‘We understand that this is often easier said than done, but it is important that all residents are able to live happily on site without undue disruption, damage to property or intimidation.’
Youngsters living on the Stonemead estate (pictured) in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester have been banned from playing outside their homes
Families have responded angrily, including mother-of-one Kelly McFie, who branded the move ‘ridiculous’ and said she specifically moved to there because it was a big, family estate.
Ms McFie, a 35-year-old personal trainer, said: ‘There’s no through traffic, there are nice surroundings, it’s safe, and the estate agent told us there were always kids out playing so we thought it would be perfect for our seven-year-old.
‘Then at the end of July to the beginning of August, a sign went up saying that no ball games were allowed on the communal grass area, after someone complained saying it was ruining the grass.
‘More signs then appeared around the estate, and since then the kids haven’t been on the grass or playing ball games.
‘Instead they play things like tig or other playground games, and ride their bikes, they can always be seen by a parent or a friend’s parent.’
‘We’ve been told they now have to either play in their gardens – many of which aren’t big enough – or go off site.
‘There’s a field nearby we take them to when we can, but we can’t all the time, and there’s no way I’m letting my son go alone.’
Housing association Residential Management Group says kids are ‘causing a disturbance’ and ‘intimidating’ neighbours by playing outside their homes and near cars. Parents have reacted furiously, especially mother Kelly McFie (pictured), 35
A petition has now been launched calling for Residential Management Group to scrap the ban.
The protest, which has been signed by nearly 300 people, reads: ‘Children need to play outside, they need to be allowed to be children.
‘In a day and age where computer games and a sedentary lifestyle are the norm, and obesity rates are rising, it is ridiculous for the RMG to try and implement this rule.
‘On a “family” estate, where lots of children live, it is completely unreasonable to ask that children don’t play out together and enjoy the area that they live in.
‘These are good kids. They are not doing any harm, or being naughty or disrespectful. They are simply being children and having fun.
‘While children should be appropriately supervised and stick to rules and safety measures, they shouldn’t be cooped up.
MailOnline has approached Residential Management Group for comment.
A petition has been launched against the ban, already gathering more than 300 signatures