HUNDREDS of shoppers have backed a newsagent in his battle against Hertfordshire County Council.

Jitendra Patel was in a one-man battle to reverse the council's decision to force him to remove shutters outside his shop after a single complaint by a mother that she had trouble getting a child's double buggy past his business.

Since the council informed Mr Patel the shutters must go the community has shown its support by putting pen to paper in the form of a petition and letters.

And last week Keith Emsall, chairman of the county council, was handed the 400 names imploring the council to let the shutters stay.

Although the metal shutters were put up without planning permission Mr Patel has the support of county councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, who has vowed to fight any adverse decision all the way to the courts.

The strength of support shown to Mr Patel has forced the council to review its decision and report its conclusions to Councillor Giles-Medhurst, as the local councillor.

For full story see Friday's Watford Observer.