Neighbour kids climbing in my garden

Like this idea, dog poo smeared on the top of your fence. I think you need signs up for the ant vandal paint ?
Thorny bushes in front of the fence.
I’d be inclined to take any ball and put it out your front door and deny seeing it if they ask.
Don’t write anything to the mother or tell her what measures you are going to do. Just do them.

You can’t put spikes up OP, I’m sure you realise that! The best suggestion I’ve seen here is to take the balls inside and only return them to the parents. If that doesn’t work, throw them into someone else’s garden. Preferably a couple of fences over.

We had kids over the back of us sitting on the roof our outbuilding, which was damaging the flat felt roof. I asked them nicely, I had a go at them, I even went and spoke to their parents but they didn't stop until I put anti bird spikes along the roof.

I genuinely wouldn't have cared if they have been injured, as they had enough warnings, but it stopped them from doing it.

Vandal grease sounds a good idea. You can't use spies because if they get injured it will be your fault. Likewise keeping the balls is theft and stabbing them is criminal damage

Position one of those pest deterrent ultrasonic contraptions against your fence. Small animals & young kids can hear the ultra high frequency sound waves & won't hang around for long. They are uncomfortable but not dangerous for small animals and children.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ultrasonic-pest-repeller/s?k=ultrasonic+pest+repeller

Shame you can’t use this to keep the pesky pigeons away

You’re obviously being too nice to the little shits. Try shouting at them and accidentally soaking them with your hose.

Anti climb paint. It wil be the best money spent this summer....

Think this is the way to go - inconvenience the parents until the behaviour changes.

You've tried to politely address their children's behaviour with them on multiple occasions, and they simply don't care how it affects you. You say you don't want to fall out and have issues with your neighbours - but they've had no problem doing that to you.

borrow a friends dog for a few weeks..

@littleHollow even better than vandal grease, find yourself some dog poo and using a bag as a holder, put it along the top of the fence!! i dont think you are legally allowed to put spikes or barbed wire on a garden fence as a deterrent!!

Anti-climb paint on your side plus pyracantha planted.

How high is the fence?
Are there shrubs and/or hedging against it?

As PP's have suggested, increase the height using trellis and plant hedging interspersed with pretty but spiky shrubs.

I also have the issue of kids coming into the garden when they kick balls over. They kick the gate open (which has actually broken our gate now) and they don’t shut it, and are well aware that my three year old is often playing in the garden. It’s infuriating and I don’t know who they belong to, so I can’t complain to their parents and ask for money towards a gate replacement. They have to kick the ball quite high to get it over as the back of our garden is a shed and tall fence.

Throw them back with great enthusiasm and joviality, but with gross incompetence such that they land on their roof, on your roof, in the middle of some brambles, through their kitchen window, or somewhere else similarly inconvenient or inaccessible.

I second the vandal paint, assuming it’s your fence. Or just Vaseline for starters. And a motion activated sprinkler. And things that just generally make them feel less welcome- like loud comments on their poor ball control.

Also, when the balls come, bring them in and return them the next day.

I’ve posted about this previously when in a similar situation in my previous house (though to be fair they were not climbing into the garden - just constantly kicking balls against and over my fence).

What worked in the end (after speaking to the kids - tween age- and their parents with no change in behaviour) was picking up the balls and taking them inside.

When the kids came to get them I said I would only return them to their parents. As they were at the back of us this was a 10 min walk.

Parents were not happy at being inconvenienced but that was the point of the exercise- which I was perfectly clear to them about.

Took 4 “pick ups” till they realised I meant it and they finally took action and insisted their kids played at the local recreation fields (along with loads of other kids) 5 mins away.

That is shocking.

I’d stab them, “what ball?”

I think you first need to have another word with their mother, explain it’s irritating balls keep coming over and her children do not have permission to climb in your garden and ask them to kick the ball in the other direction, put some netting up their side to stop them coming over etc. Depending on the response you get, I would then be tempted to put something up your side of the fence to stop them climbing over. Maybe some kind of bird spikes, but before doing it, tell the mother in person you will be doing it and then put it in writing and film yourself hand posting the letter. That way if the little shits carry on she can’t claim you’ve injured her kids!

Ooooh good idea 👏

love that !

The police can’t deal with a civil matter.

Woman donated balls to charity when they kept coming over and 2 hit her in the face. She spoke to the club and asked for an apology. They didn’t apologise so she donated them.

It was reported to police as theft and she has been ordered to pay £26 to replace them.

She says she has been told by police she will be interviewed and the matter could end up in court if she does not cough up.

I'd tell them that you will throw back any balls you see but if they come again you will report them to the police for trespassing and do an online report. I think if you make three or more complaints there is a legal requirement for the police to come out so it shouldn't take too long to resolve one way or the other. Even better if you put a security camera up.

Plant berberis on your side of the fence, it's an evergreen plant so gives colour all year, which discourages large animals because of its thorns.

@littleHollow if its your fence may I suggest vandal grease its very effective and their mum will soon stop them playing against the fence and climbing over it as vandal grease is a bugger to get out of clothes 😈