I HAVE been a resident of Oxton for the past 38 years and one who for the last few years has been witness to the now annual event known as "the secret gardens of Oxton."

For those who don't know, this event encourages people to pay money to visit a few gardens in the Oxton area, whose owners agree to them looking around their property.

Most of the money raised is then donated to various local worthy charities under the watchful eye of the Oxton Society. It appears attractive to the onlooker but sadly as a resident of Oxton, this is far from the truth.

Every year you wake up on a Sunday morning with hordes of vacant looking people who feel that since they have paid their entrance fee to access the designated "secret gardens" sadly mistake it for "access all areas."

They have no issue with peering up people’s driveways and if the mood takes them have a stroll up the drive or pathway to have a closer scout around. Oxton residents have learnt to live with this casual trespassing and complete strangers staring at their homes as it’s only one day a year and for a good cause.

I live on Storeton Road close to the Arno Rose gardens and this year’s event will hold special memories for me, not least the fact that an attendee to the secret gardens saw fit to park their vehicle nearly halfway across my drive. This was left abandoned for four hours, stopping me or wife being able to drive from our home.

We had a family gathering planned for this day but were unable to pick up relatives and the ones who drove were unable to park on the driveway due to the car parked across it.

Also, there was also an accident on Birch Road which required an ambulance to attend to an unfortunate individual. I’m sure you can imagine the problems it had accessing the area. If the secret gardens is to be held again, I’d strongly suggest traffic cones be placed the full length of Storeton Road to avoid a similar fiasco.

Name and address supplied.