To be able to enjoy my garden without nuisance footballs

[ButryMashPot]

We bought our house 20 years ago and there has always been a small youth community centre backing on to us, there was a small grassed area that backs on to our garden and they would use it for fetes and dog shows and sometimes the youth club kids would have a kick about on it and for the first 10-12 years we didn’t really have any issues with them, the odd football would come over a couple of times a year.
Then the centre decided to transform this area into a 5 a side football pitch and rent it out to all and sundry and since then it’s been a nightmare. From about March-October not a week goes by when a football doesn’t come flying over the fence, sometimes multiple times a week. The balls have broken plant pots, hit our windows, knocked my clothes airer over whilst trying to dry my washing. We were outside eating with family last year and a ball came over and hit my SIL in the back. I’ve had kids climbing over the fence and into my back garden wandering around trying to find their balls.
I have been back and forth with the people running the centre and they have begrudgingly compensated me for the damages. They have raised the height of the fence and it’s made no difference, they have told me they can raise it a bit higher but I don’t think that’s going to make a difference. Last night 2 balls came over in the space of 30 mins. The 1st one, DH threw back but when the 2nd came over he was in the shower. One of the kids climbed the fence and asked to the throw the ball back. I refused (mainly because I am disabled and the fence is too high and I’d never get the ball over). I said if he wanted his ball back then I wanted whoever was supervising them to come round and get it, he then called me a fat cunt and climbed down. It’s got to the point where whenever we’re in the garden we can’t relax if the pitch is in use and I get really anxious. We’ve not had any holidays for 6 years and have spent the money on the garden, outdoor kitchen, new furniture and I don’t feel like I can enjoy it for fear of being hit.
I don’t want to be that person that stops kids getting out and having fun but equally I want to have enjoyment of my garden.
I don’t know what the solution is, can anyone suggest what they would do in my position?

I'd contact my local councillor. This is the kind of thing a decent one will be happy to get involved with, especially if the centre gets any council funding.
And, as with anything, keep a diary.

Sounds awful, I would hate this too. If the fence isn’t sufficient, can you ask the centre to put up high ball-stop netting like they do around cricket pitches to protect local houses?

The centre needs to put a high net up to stop this completely. I would give them one last letter requesting this and letting them know I'd be escalating the issue if they don't address it within three weeks. Then I'd do just that.

They need to put ball nets in place. They'd be on supports and are really high, like 12 feet or something. Schools use them or cricket grounds.

It sounds as though this may constitute a legal nuisance. Someone may hopefully come along but I would suggest asking MN to repost in legal matters. If a solicitor agrees they would write a letter saying the club needs to take action to stop the nuisance or damages could be payable. However I must emphasize this us not my area.

As for a child calling you a fat cunt - totally unacceptable.

Agree with PP. They need that really high netting installed to stop balls coming over. I'm pretty forgiving of kids playing out a d balls coming over into garden but what you described is really not acceptable and is on a bigger scale. Definitely push them to sort it out.

I second the councillor as a starting point. You could also contact your council environmental health ASB team as it may count as anti social behaviour in a way.
They might be able to help with a solution as like you say, it’s great that the kids are outside having fun and getting some exercise but at the same time you should be able to sit in your garden without fear of being hit by a flying football or have kids scaling the fence.
As it sounds like youth club may be council run, they might be able to get some funding for a net or some sort of ‘cage’ roof to contain the balls? (disclaimer I know nothing about football or training areas!)

Although the facility was there before the OP moved in, it's now changed its purpose. It could constitute a public nuisance.

This or you add something to your fence? But yes, also complain to the owners/council/whoever

Anti-climb paint, spikes on fence. Make it as difficult and revolting for them to climb over. Also get video cameras, record the language (harassment & abuse), document the damage and hit them up for costs. They’re obviously making something by renting the football pitches.

Get a security camera and record evidence of damage, trespass, abuse etc.

I'd also be tempted to keep the balls to deliver back in a mass delivery to prove a point...

Thanks everyone. We have been keeping a diary and I email the secretary at the centre every time a ball comes over so I have a record of dates etc. we do have CCTV but it doesn’t do audio and even if it did I don’t think it would pick up at the end of the garden. I emailed the centre after last nights incident and I’m waiting to hear back. I have told her that if a satisfactory solution isn’t found I’ll take it further. I did think about writing to my local councillor so I think that may be my next step.
Generally we are fairly tolerant people. They also rent the premises out for private events and during the summer there are a lot of wedding receptions and birthday parties ( on average 2 weekends per month) with blaring music all day and long into the evening, so loud that we can’t have a normal conversation in our garden and we’ve not complained about that. I think it’s been worse since Covid as I think they’re trying to recoup the money lost from when they were closed and by doing so just renting out the space to everyone any anyone on a far more regular basis.

They need to put up netting to stop this happening.

I'm made up kids are out playing football and getting exercise. But when it's at the cost of destroying YOUR property (garden, and lack of privacy as they just climb the fence) then it's a big FAT NOPE! 👎

I hope this gets escalated to the council and gets sorted. Whether it's more funds for them to sort out a higher fence or nets, or maybe a curfew cut off time for loud music.
As for the noise on the weekend for weddings and functions, I would be absolutely fuming myself.

It's not fair that you can't even relax in your own space. 😫

I hope you get it sorted 🙏
Hugs to you 🫂

You could do what the new neighbour yo our Scout hut did a few years ago... turned the hosepipe on the kids who were cooking on an outdoor fire.

In that case, the Parish Council frankly told him the Scout hut had been there for decades and the land used that way for decades.

If we decided to have loud weddings, or were constantly causing damage, there wouldn't be much sympathy. I think we accidentally send one ball a YEAR over a fence.

Do any other gardens back onto this space and have the same problem? If so in addition to everything else everyone has already said (except the fence spikes, WTF?) I'd ask your neighbours to also push these people to act, or local counsellor etc. Strength in numbers always helps.

I think there are a couple of things here. For one, there was a case judged within the last year that was similar to this and the homeowners won. It may be worth sending them a link this article so they understand that they will likely lose if you have to take the legal route: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/may/19/couple-successfully-sue-council-over-schools-footballs-landing-in-garden-of-2m-home

Secondly, I’m going to assume that some of the events have a paid bar. It may be worth checking whether the venue has a license because if not, each of these would likely need a temporary event notice, or for whoever’s running the bar to have their own license. And if they don’t have a license they may not even have thought to get TENs in place, or make the organisers apply for them, at which point you can at least get them to start being more responsible about noise and behaviour.

I would talk to the council about both the balls and the noise nuisance from what essentially amounts to a change of use of the property, and that way it may be possible to have them impose conditions on licensees at the venue, such as a maximum decibel cut-out. There’s a gorgeous space at the Barbican that has a 75dB limit for any event taking place there out of consideration for the neighbours, and that might well improve things for you.

I understand your sympathy for them trying to recover after Covid, and as a venue owner I also understand how tough times may be for them. But I would also never be booking things in that had the potential to cause issues for my neighbours because it’s just not worth it, and because I’m a decent human being.

(except the fence spikes, WTF?)

Why wtf? We have a boundary wall that runs alongside a alleyway - we have anti climb paint and wall spikes, and signage warning that we have spikes.
If you aren't trying to climb over my wall the spikes won't hurt you.

Diary is a great start. And being in contact with the centre.
Personally, it is time to contact the council about their behaviour - a quick Google usually directs you to the right place. Hopefully this will begin to improve things but I know, particularly with noise in my area, that if things don't improve, you can take your own case to the local magistrates.

I think the previous poster means they are legally risky.
As the occupier you have a legal responsibility to protect everyone, including trespassers from harm.
So you would have to take all reasonable steps to do that, and depending on the nature of the spikes and the likelihood of the warnings being understood you could still be in hot water.
For example broken glass embedded in mortar is a clear no in almost every situation. Even barbed wire is not guaranteed to be ok. But plastic spikes that are uncomfortable and impossible to climb up is likely to be ok.
The common safe solution is the rotating units that just turn when you try to climb them, but they look awful!

The weddings/fetes wouldn’t bother me but footballs? Antisocial. I’d be tearing my hair out

The other gardens either side do have the occasional ball in their garden but our one is smack bang in the middle so we get the brunt of it.
I’ve emailed the club secretary again and sent an email to our local councillor (thanks ChatGPT). There was a party on again yesterday afternoon, started at 1pm and went in until 9pm, the football pitch was in use nearly the whole time. Everytime a ball hit the chain link fence I could feel myself tense up as I was expecting a ball to come over any minute, not exactly a relaxing afternoon.

I agree with the suggestions about whether it constitutes a nuisance, and/or conditions attached to a bar licence. An obligation to finish using it earlier would at least mean you would not have someone coming to you at 9pm in an evening.

We have a rugby club pitch behind our house and in the almost 10 years we have lived here we have had one ball in the garden. Behind where the goal is they have poles as tall at the goal with a net across which stops the balls going into the gardens behind it.
There is zero need for people to be abusive towards you for not throwing the ball back and I would let the club know that you won't accept that happening again.
I find it incredible they have been allowed to hire out that area for parties when it is so close to homes. I would check they have all the relevant licenses to allow that. They should have a time when all music has to stop. Ours is midnight on a Friday and Saturday and 10pm on a Sunday.
Nothing is worse than inconsiderate people, which we are currently dealing with. A neighbour likes to share her music to all of us despite no one wanting her to do so, but heard good news today that she is selling up dances

Buy some anti climb paint... When the little fuckers go home covered in it they will stop climbing..
Also let the air out of the balls before you hand them back. When they have to keep pumping them up they will take better care they don't lose them.
Ime this is a great tactic..