A CHARITY is being taken to court by a Hampshire couple who say they are being plagued by noise and foul language.

Solicitor Marie Sampson and her husband Martin have launched legal action against Brockenhurst Village Trust (BVT), which runs a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) beside the village hall in Highwood Road.

The couple claim the £63,000 facility is causing "significant nuisance" and have started proceedings under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

They want the BVT to install acoustic fencing as well as locking the MUGA at night.

A hearing is due to take place at Southampton Magistrates' Court on November 20 but the trust intends to contest the claim, which means a trial is likely to be held in the new year.

Daily Echo:

Mrs Sampson, of Tattenham Road, Brockenhurst, said the MUGA was being used at night by people taking drugs, drinking alcohol and using obscene language.

She added: "We have audio evidence of the MUGA being used after the stated closing hour 93 times since we started taking a log in May 2018.

"We also have written records of out-of-hours use prior to May 2018, taking the number to more than 100. We were often away during the summer periods so the true number is likely to be much higher."

Mrs Sampson also claimed that villagers had seen evidence of drug use at the facility.

Daily Echo:

A BVT spokesman said: "Every complaint is investigated but we have never found any evidence of drug use or alcohol consumption by people using the MUGA.

"On one occasion two empty cans of cider were allegedly found in the MUGA waste bin, but these may have been from a passer-by.

"Although there have been half a dozen occasions in the past 18 months when young people were on the MUGA after closing time this is not a regular occurrence.

"After-hours use usually refers to children overstaying their time on sunny evenings, which we discourage."

the trust had attempted to make the MUGA quieter as well as raising the height of fences to prevent balls straying into neighbouring gardens.

"The MUGA is an overwhelming success, supported by the overwhelming majority of neighbours, and the complaint will be strongly resisted in court."