Furious residents have started a petition against neighbours who have put up fences on public land just 20ft from their front doors.

The 7ft fences across the back gardens of three houses in Ruskoi Road, Canvey, enclose a total of almost 100ft of grass verge, which up to now has been public open space.

Homes in Oulten Avenue now look out on to a darkened alleyway and residents say they are angry they were not consulted.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: "There was absolutely no warning. The fences all went up on Saturday morning.

"One elderly neighbour was so depressed about it she just went to bed. Once she looked out of her kitchen window to a nice green area, but now she is just staring at a fence.

"We are holding a meeting to see if we can do anything about this. They say they have solicitors' letters telling them they can, but they should have asked if anyone objected."

Dave Blackwell, leader of the Canvey Independent Party, believed the householders had been badly advised. He said: "They say they can claim it because it doesn't belong to anyone, but the council may have possessional rights because they have always tended it.

"I was inundated by complaints about this and I fully understand why people are so angry."

However, it seems Castle Point Council and Essex County Council cannot quite agree on who the land in question belongs to.

A spokesman for Essex County Council said: "We are aware of the situation and we are investigating ownership of the land and highway issues.

"We are looking at who owns the land and what ownership rights there are."

The row comes days after residents in Aspen Close, Canvey, complained about a neighbour who had enclosed a piece of green complete with street lamp after leasing it from Castle Point Council.