'End my football nightmare': Pensioner tells of years of smashed windows and trespassers from former Darlaston Town ground
A pensioner living next to a arson-hit football ground has called on the owners to end her 'nightmare' - and take action over the site's future.
Mary Galt's home backs onto the defunct Darlaston Town Football Club's derelict old home, City Ground.
She claims to have faced years of her windows being smashed by balls and people climbing over the fence to her home, in Rectory Avenue.
Last week, a fire ripped through a section of a wooden stand following a suspected arson attack. The blaze damaged window frames and guttering to Mrs Galt's five bedroom home.
Since the fire, the ground owners, now Walsall Council, installed 8ft x 4ft wooden boards at the back of the stand, facing onto Mrs Galt's house.
Prompted by the blaze, which she said left her fearing for her life, she is now calling for action over the site.
She said: ""It's been an absolute nightmare."
She added: "The ground is a complete eyesore and is no longer used. It's about time they did something with it instead of letting it go to wrack and ruin."
Mrs Galt says she has not received any compensation since living at her property, despite the damage.
The football club disbanded two years ago.
She says water from the stand's roof has damaged the floor of her shed and toilet while there have been several incidents of footballs smashing through her windows.
Fifteen firefighters were called to last Wednesday's fire.
They took around an hour-and-a-half to put out the fire and secure the area.
A number of wooden seats that had been damaged were removed from the stand.
