A right blooming disaster, Maureen

Jun 1 2008 Additional Reporting By Jane Barrie

£8k Garden Too Dangerous For Kids

THIS is the company boss who took £8200 from a single mum then left her with a back yard that has been condemned as too dangerous for her kids.

Maureen O'Connor, 52, promised to transform Gillian McMinn's overgrown council house garden.

Gillian wanted a safe area for her four children to play and a patio where she could relax. But just weeks after she paid O'Connor's company, Paisley-based Balgonie Landscapes Ltd, the cracks started to show.

The garden has been slated by an independent inspector as "unsafe, especially for children" and the work deemed defective by the council, who have told her a poorly-built retaining wall has to come down.

Tearful Gillian said: "It will cost £12,500 to put right. I amonmy own with four children and only work part-time. One of my boys has a disability and my mum gave me the money to get the garden done so he had somewhere to play.

"All I wanted was a safe place for my children."

Gillian, 38, of Glenburn, Paisley, could not use her existing garden as the previous tenants, who were evicted, left the place in a mess.

She is mum to Archie, four; Laura, nine; William, 10; and 16-year-old Adam who suffers from dyspraxia, which affects co-ordination.

She said: "Adam is quite clumsy and doesn't like going out to play in the street. That's why I need a safe and secure garden."

But within two weeks of the work being done there were problems.

She said: "Adam was coming down the stairs when a slab came loose and he fell, badly hurting his back.

"The retaining wall started to bulge and crumble and I noticed there was little or no drainage."

Gillian brought in a buildings examiner after Balgonie failed to sort things out and the council also sent out building control offficers.

Gillian said: "My own inspector condemned the work and flagged up a structural problem. Building control told me the retaining wall was dangerous and would collapse."

I found O'Connor, a Balgonie director, had applied to have the firm struck off at Companies House. It is expected to be dissolved in August.

When I caught up with her she claimed she had offered to fix the garden three times.

She said: "Gillian McMinn was very pleased with the work but you have to maintain a garden.

"I spent an extra £2000 on the job and this is the thanks I get. She knows what to do if she's not happy ...go to court."

Gillian is considering legal action but as Balgonie is about to be struck off it may prove fruitless.

O'Connor says she's a decent human being. Prove it... and fix this mess.