A group of pensioners was told by a housing association that the benches where they meet would be removed after residents complained of noise nuisance.

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The group, who range from their 60s to 90s, live in retirement flats in a complex in Horning Close, Mottingham.

Two weeks ago the Broomleigh Housing Association asked them to lower their voices or be unseated, the group said.

But now the south London housing group has said it will not be uprooting the benches where the elderly socialise.

Several elderly residents meet at the benches in the afternoons and they said they only sit and chat.

Rainey Blackball, 88, said: "They (Broomleigh Housing Association) have backed down because of this publicity."

A spokeswoman for the Broomleigh Housing Association said its role had been to mediate a two-year-old noise dispute between neighbours.

"We are not removing any benches."

'Noisy' elders

Mike Lye, secretary of the voluntary residents' federation for the Broomleigh housing estate, said the most likely cause of the problem was a personality conflict and not a complaint about noise.

He said: "I thought they were talking about youth gangs, because we do have a problem on the estate with youth gangs congregating.

"I cannot imagine older residents being that noisy.

"I've actually tried to get some community budget money to put a shelter out there for them," Mr Lye added.

He said the local community centre for Mottingham, located directly behind the housing complex, had been closed for refurbishment for more than a year, denying elderly residents an alternative place to gather.

Source: BBC News