Hero nan slapped with police caution for sit-down protest over broadband mast
A nan has received a police caution after she took a stand – or a seat – over a broadband mast that was positioned outside her house.
But it seems that all her effort was worth it as she has now won the battle to have it moved.
Dot Bolton, 75, was prompted into action after learning the 30ft pole was due to go up on Wednesday (August 10) and positioned herself in the spot where it was due to be placed.
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She said: "If you asked me last week if I'd be doing a sit-in protest, I would've said no way!
"I have never protested before in my life, I'm usually the one that stands back.
"This morning when the contractors came, I'd just had enough. I thought, why have we bothered to do petitions and have meetings if they just do what they like anyway?"
The pole was set to be erected in front of her bungalow in Sutton-on-Hull, Yorkshire.
A furious Dot placed her chair on the circled spot inside a barricaded area, refusing to move in opposition to the pole.
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Workers who were trying to set up the pole threatened to call the police, and sure enough two officers from Humberside Police arrived on the scene to tell Dot the protest was illegal.
But she wasn't put off, staying where she was and telling officers that they might as well arrest her because she was not going to move.
Despite their threats to arrest the grandmother of two "for obstructing the pavement", Dot and her neighbours refused to give up without at least coming to a compromise.
Officers swiftly called for back-up, and while Dot was clearly upset during the ordeal, she held her ground with the support of her whole community and devoted husband Brian.
"All of the people of Ramsgate Close joined in to help me and Brian feels exactly the same way as me," she said.
Neighbour Andy said during the protest: "Dot is the face of our campaign but don't think she is on her own, we are all here with her.
"If she gets too hot or too tired before a conclusion is reached, any one of us would be more than happy to take over.
"It's heartbreaking to see her get upset over this but our feelings need to be known."
Contractors of the pole SCD eventually agreed to move the position of the pole to a grass verge closer to the road.
It was only then that Dot and Brian ended their protest – but not before the pensioner had been slapped with a caution for "obstructing a public footpath", despite the pavement already being obstructed by orange barriers.
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