Terry Roderick found himself in trouble on a day trip to St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall
An artist has claimed he is first person to be banned from a Cornish tourist site after his singing upset a security guard.
Terry Roderick, 48, of Marazion, Cornwall, found himself in trouble on a day trip to St Michael’s Mount, which is dominated by an ancient castle.
The visitor claimed he was singing Burn the Castle by rock band New Model Army on the historic small tidal island when a security guard told him to stop.
He was allegedly escorted back to his car and told to leave, before accidentally driving over a traffic cone as he left.
A couple of weeks later he said a letter arrived at his home in the town nearest the mount, banning him for life.
And Mr Roderick alleged that it threatened him with a whopping fine of up to £40,000 if he tried to go back.
But St Aubyn Estates, which leases the site from the National Trust, said Mr Roderick was banned after showing ‘threatening behaviour towards our staff on a number of occasions’ – and not due to singing.
Mr Roderick, who claimed he threw away the letter and did not keep a copy, said: ‘I didn’t really do anything to warrant getting banned for life.
The visitor claimed he was singing Burn the Castle by New Model Army on the small tidal island
A security guard allegedly told him to stop singing on the island near Marazion, Cornwall
The tiny island used to be home to Benedictine monks and has also been a key military site
‘I’m the first person in history to be banned from there, apparently. I didn’t do anything wrong, really. I was just having fun.
‘I was walking around the castle singing Burn the Castle by New Model Army when security approached me. They escorted me off the island and when I drove off from the car park, I accidentally crushed a traffic cone.
‘A couple of weeks later they sent me a letter saying they would be fining me £30-£40,000 if I ever set foot there again. It’s barmy.’
He added: ‘I know it was wrong of me to sing the song, but it’s not explicit and I was just messing about. They took it all way too seriously.
‘And now I’m the first person in history to be banned from St Michael’s Mount.’
The small tidal island, which can be reached on foot at low tide, is owned by the National Trust but leased to St Aubyn Estates.
The small tidal island off the coast of Cornwall can be reached on foot at low tide
The island near Marazion is owned by the National Trust but leased to St Aubyn Estates
St Aubyn Estates has confirmed Mr Roderick is the only person banned from the island
The oldest buildings on it date from the 12th century. The tiny island used to be home to Benedictine monks and has also been a key military site in various wars.
Ramon Van de Velde, chief executive officer at St Aubyn Estates and the National Trust representative for St Michael’s Mount, told MailOnline: ‘Mr Roderick has indeed been excluded from St Michael’s Mount.
‘It was however not because he was singing a song but because he has shown threatening behaviour towards our staff on a number of occasions.
‘We have liaised as appropriate with the police in order to help maintain public order.
‘St Michael’s Mount is a very special and beautiful place and we very much enjoy welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors a year.’