'Help' pleads man living beside busy road

9:01pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

A THORNFALCON man claims his roadside house is falling to pieces because of traffic thundering past.

Peter Caulfield, 60, wants highways officials to do something to protect his converted barn and make it safer for him to leave his property.

He has lived in the former threshing barn a year and is threatening to take the law into his own hands.

Mr Caulfield, whose house is on the Taunton side of the Nag's Head, says the only exit is onto the A358 dual carriageway running past his front door.

"I understand there's going to be noise living beside a busy road," said Mr Caulfield.

"But the suction caused by lorries is ripping parts of the metal girders out of the structure.

"The house shakes and bolts shoot out at times.

"I want something done to stop vehicles speeding - they can go at 70mph legally, but many go faster."

Mr Caulfield is unhappy that the only way out of his property takes him straight onto the dual carriageway.

"It's like a motorway without the hard shoulder," he added.

"When I get into the road, drivers beep at me and shake their fists.

"I'm putting some cones up to prevent traffic coming so close, but I want the highways department at Somerset County Council to help.

"They should protect my home or blight it.

"It terrifies me and I shudder when lorries go past.

"Bits of my house are literally flying off."

A Somerset Highways spokeswoman said: "We're aware of Mr Caulfield's concerns and are meeting with him next week."

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