A PENSIONER who built a 4ft wall from old newspapers to protect his garden from soil erosion insists it is doing no harm.

Kelvedon Parish Council claims John Benson’s wall threatens a neighbouring nature reserve and is a flood and fire risk.

However, the 86-year-old gardener disputes the council’s claims – and has even invited councillors to try to set light to the two tonnes of newsprint with a blowtorch Mr Benson spent a year collecting papers, which he then piled up inside a ditch which separates his garden in Dunlin Court, Kelvedon, from Brockwell Nature Reserve.

The parish council says the wall must go, claiming ink from the papers could leak into the watercourse, the wall could topple into the ditch and cause flooding, or even catch light in the summer, if the papers dried out. It also says the wall is unsightly.

Mr Benson, a retired schoolteacher, who is secretary of Feering and Kelvedon Garden Club, is adamant the wall is safe. He said: “No ink can come out of the newspaper. The ink is not soluble.

“It is fixed into the paper.”

The wall has been reinforced with soil, ballast and slabs of stone.

Mr Benson added: “Even if the ditch filled up to the top, the pressure on the paper would push it against the soil.”

He said gardeners often used newspaper to retain moisture in their soil, to help plants grow.

And he denied there was any fire risk, saying: “I am quite happy to lend the council a blowtorch and see if anyone can ignite it.”

The council has twice written asking Mr Benson to remove the wall. It has also spoken to the Environment Agency, Braintree Council and the fire service.

Kelvedon Parish Council chairman Craig Martin said: “It is on the nature reserve, which is on our land. More importantly, it has the potential to block a ditch. That doesn’t help the flood risk.

“Also there is a concern if the newspaper gets into the water, it will pollute the water.”