A SINGLE mother’s light-hearted protest over orders to remove an armchair from her front garden has turned into an unlikely tourist attraction.

Debbie Ballard has built a quaint living room scene, complete with potted plants and framed pictures of pets, in the front garden of her Westcliff home after Southend Council asked her to remove an armchair.

Strangers have been turning up at the house in Salisbury Avenue to take photographs.

Ms Ballard, 47, who left the chair outside as she had no money for its removal, said: “People knock on the door and ask what it’s all about.

“I came out of the house on Monday morning and someone I didn’t know was taking photos of it.

“It’s a protest but in a fun way.”

The council sent Ms Ballard a letter last week demanding the mum-of-two remove the chair within 14 days, labelling it as “rubbish”.

But the former IT manager pointed out many front yards in the street had rubbish, broken furniture and debris piled high and pavements were covered with litter and dog mess.

Ms Ballard called on the council to focus on street cleaning and worse eyesores before targeting on her single chair.