A FATHER has threatened to chain himself to a towbar after he and his daughter were threatened with eviction from their mobile home.

A Hart District Council planning meeting decided to give Gerry Kimber, 49, of Stapely Down Farm, Odiham, until August 31 to vacate the mobile home he shares with his 21-year-old daughter, Helen, as he does not have planning permission.

"I have always lived in Odiham and have brought up my children here," said Mr Kimber, a postal worker who moved into the mobile home two years ago when he couldn't find affordable housing after the break-up of his marriage.

He added: "I work here, my friends are here and my life is here.

"I can't leave the mobile home until I have found somewhere else and I will chain myself to the towbar if I have to."

Mr Kimber has the support of Cllr Roger Jones, who chaired the committee that decided to evict him.

"We were shackled by what planning laws say - it is nonsense to make someone homeless by applying strict rules in this manner.

"Democracy is dead as planning laws are far too centralised," said Cllr Jones, who is ward member for Odiham.

The mobile home is on land owned by Mr Kimber's friend, John Saunders, and Hart District Council served a notice in January 2001 that it must be removed. At last week's meeting Mr Kimber appealed for his extenuating circumstances to be taken into account.

"I have applied for an Alms House in Odiham, and am also on the council's housing list but have been unsuccessful so far," he said.

Mr Saunders asked that Mr Kimber be granted a temporary licence and Odiham's town centre manager also backed the appeal, telling the council of Mr Kimber's extensive voluntary work in Odiham.

However, the development control enforcement sub-committee decided the home must be removed within four months.

Cllr Jones said: "We have to guard against setting a precedent as it is an easy act to put in a mobile home, and we don't want houses in the countryside."

It was agreed that Hart council would write to Odiham Parish Council, advising it to consider a scheme whereby affordable housing could be built for key workers like Mr Kimber.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Kimber said: "I understand that the council can't allow people to put up mobile homes willy nilly, but in four months I will be homeless and for what reason? I can't afford to rent in Odiham and I am not doing anybody any harm."