A woman has vowed to fight plans to lay sewage pipes through her prized garden.Diane Fields works tirelessly to landscape her lawns and each year opens them to the public.

A woman has vowed to fight plans to lay sewage pipes through her prized garden.

Diane Fields works tirelessly to landscape her lawns and each year opens them to the public.

But now Anglian Water has told her they will dig up her garden to run the pipes through, even though she objects to it.

Mrs Fields, of Bridge Road, Colby, said: "I was supposed to be holding my granddaughter's christening party here in the summer.

"But now that will have to be cancelled. I won't be able to show my garden either.

"Why won't they lay them around the house instead? They're not giving me any alternative."

Anglian Water wants to lay the pipes as part of a £1.8m scheme to connect 180 homes in the Colby and Banningham area to mains sewage disposal.

The plans came after the Environment Agency and water and sewerage watchdog Ofwat reported improvements needed to be made to prevent environmental pollution.

At the moment, many houses use septic tanks and cesspits to dispose of waste, which can often leak and cause damage to the surrounding area.

A spokesman for Anglian Water said: "It was recommended to us that we connect homes with pipes for safety and to prevent further environmental damage.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for the people in that area.

"The scheme means they will be connected onto the main pipes and no longer need to rely on using septic tanks or cesspits."

But Mrs Fields, 58, feels she is being forced to have the pipes running through her garden despite her objections.

She said: "They just turned up and announced what they were going to do.

"The pipes are being run through the wood before and after the houses, so

why not just keep them in the wood

and avoid the houses?

"I've said I don't want them in my garden, but they don't listen and just insist it will go ahead whatever.

"This is my land and my home and I wish they would just respect that."

Anglian Water has promised to restore the gardens used to their former glory, as well as offering an as yet unknown sum in compensation.

The company spokesman said: "We cannot run the pipes through the woods at that point as we would have to dig eight or nine feet.

"This is the better option.

"Obviously we like to work with customers and ensure everyone is happy with the arrangements.

"This is a great scheme and it is a shame one person is holding it up for everyone else.

"As we are providing a public service we are entitled to enter property to carry out our job."