Geoff Stevens, 81, of Hardwick Crescent, has watched inconsiderate youths wreck his garden for the best part of 19 years, as their footballs fly over his fence and flatten his flowers.

Things reached boiling point in 2002, when Mr Stevens decided he would begin keeping incoming balls in a bid to deter people from kicking them in the garden’s direction – he has since collected 45 stray balls.

Mr Stevens, a disabled widower who is reliant on crutches to move around, says police and council help has remained largely ineffective to date.

“Footballs are in and out of my garden 10 times a day,” he said.

“The last time it happened, kids came in, jumped over the fence and smashed two plants. But the police and council do nothing.”

Despite previous warnings he could be charged with theft for confiscating the balls, Mr Stevens claims he has since discussed the matter with police and referenced an entry in the 1971 Reader’s Digest Family Guide to Law, which says he is under no legal requirement to return the stray balls.

“I haven’t done anything wrong, otherwise they would have arrested me before now.”

Mr Stevens has not escaped the entire 19 years without a brush with the law, however. In July 2005 he was arrested by police after trying to stop a neighbour damaging his garden with a metal pole.

Two weeks after the incident, he agreed to be questioned at Worksop Police Station where he spent four hours being interviewed, and was so incensed by the affair he wrote into the Guardian to complain.

Notts Police Local Area Commander Inspector, Alan Hamilton, said no prosecutions would be undertaken against young people playing football in the street, and police would instead to work with the community to find a solution.

“Myself and the Manton Safer Neighbourhood Team have had regular contact with Mr Stevens and we have taken several courses of action,” he said.

“Officers have spoken to the young people involved about their behaviour and provided them with advice about alternative places to play and parents have been informed."