A BEMUSED Wimborne landlord has been left questioning what happened to his garden fence after it was taken away during maintenance work in May.

Michael Steen has been waiting for someone to reinstate the fence at his property, which backs on to Kings Street car park.

Ahead of this year's Wimborne Folk Festival, his fence was taken away away while contractors tidied the car park area for the popular annual event.

Mr Steen had no issue with this, but as the months have gone by he has been unable to track down what happened to the wooden panels.

Wimborne Minster Town Council officers told the Daily Echo they had no record of the fence being removed and suggested the resident had been a victim of fraud.

"In May of this year just before the Folk Festival, the council was tiding the King Street car park and there was an area of very rough ground, which had not been addressed for a long time," Mr Steen said.

"There was a lot of brambles that had weaved in and out of the fence so they took it out to tidy the place up, but then they left with my fence and it was never put back.

"They should have put it back once the work was done or used some old panels to replace it – I'm not asking for a brand new fence."

Mr Steen said attempts to track down the fence had proved unsuccessful.

While a gap remained where the panels should be, he said there was both a security and safety issue.

"People can get straight into the garden without the fence being there, which is obviously a concern," he said.

"It is also so dangerous because there is a small drop which has several rusty nails sticking out of the ground. Someone could get seriously hurt.

"The council said they have done exhaustive inquiries of all the people who may have been involved.

"How can it be taken away and no one knows anything about it? It is crazy."

The Daily Echo contacted East Dorset District Council and Wimborne Minster Town Council, who also approached the Folk Festival committee.

None of these groups had any record of the fence being removed, while the town council suggested Mr Steen may have been targeted by fraudsters and he should contact police.