Neighbours, 82 and 66, in court docket after fist combat over a farm gate

With a combined age of 148, they are certainly old enough to know better.

But a years-long feud between next-door neighbours Raymond Kynaston, 82, and Glyn Prosser, 66, culminated in the octogenarian appearing before magistrates this week after the widowers ended up in a fist fight while rowing over a farm gate.

Kynaston was ordered to pay compensation to Mr Prosser after a court heard the younger man – also a pensioner – ended up on the ground and suffered a lump to his head with dizziness and other injuries.

Kynaston, who has lived at his Shropshire farm for 52 years, shares a driveway with the three bedroomed cottage that Glyn Prosser moved into six years ago.

The metal gate, owned by Kynaston, leads onto the farmyard where he sells eggs, pickled onions and hanging baskets and has been at the centre of the long-running dispute between the pair, culminating in the fight in April.

A long running dispute over a gate in a shared driveway led to a punch up between two pensioners (Pictured: Ray Kynaston with the offending gate)

Glyn Prosser, 66, (pictured on CCTV fiddling with the gate) was assualted by his neighbour after tensions blew over 

Kynaston was ordered to pay compensation to Mr Prosser following the fight (Kynaston pictured with his court documents) 

The incident landed Kynaston at Telford Magistrates Court earlier this month where he pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Posser by beating.

Kate Cooper, defending sprightly Kynaston – who only retired from his farm shop business a few years ago – said he was of previous good character and wanted the matter settled.

She said the ‘saga’ over the gate had included it being thrown into a brook running alongside both properties in Leebotwood, near Church Stretton.

‘My client knows he has gone over-the-top but it could be said to be the same for Mr Prosser,’ Ms Cooper added.

Magistrates fined Kynaston £230 and ordered him to pay Mr Prosser £150 in compensation and £85 prosecution costs.

Mr Prosser has now put his cottage on the market, telling the Mail he felt ‘mentally and physically beaten’ by Kynaston.

‘I have endured four years of hell living next door to him. He has been absolutely awful to me and, quite frankly, I have had enough. I am retired military veteran who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and I just want to get on with my life in peace and quiet.

‘There can never be an agreement to move on between us because I would never be able to forgive him what he has put me and my late wife through.

‘I don’t wish him any harm but he needs to calm down and think about the effect his abuse and temper has had.’

The saga over the gate had included it being thrown into a brook running alongside both properties in Leebotwood, near Church Stretton

Mr Prosser has now put his cottage on the market, telling the Mail he felt ‘mentally and physically beaten’ by Kynaston

The Grade II-listed house was put up for sale on Thursday with an asking price of £595,000.

Mr Prosser said he felt tearful every time he thought of the day of the assault, which took place as he attempted to leave with wife Barbara for a celebratory birthday meal.

‘She was terminally ill with cancer and we wanted to celebrate her reaching her 65th birthday with her son’, he added.

‘Unfortunately, Ray had blocked our driveway (with the gate) when we went to drive out, so I got out of the car and started moving the gate. Then he attacked me.

‘I knew it was coming because he was pacing up and down and was agitated. He grabbed me from behind and punched me to the ground, when I got up and went to retaliate to defend myself, he hit me again,

‘It was absolutely dreadful. My wife passed away three months later so it turned out to be her final birthday, marred by a violent, unprovoked event.’

Kynaston admitted that he pushed Mr Prosser to the ground while trying to stop him opening the gate – but claimed he came off worse in the brawl

The pensioner says despite the scandal both he and his gate will be staying put 

Speaking from his neighbouring farmhouse last night, Kynaston – who lost wife Susan in 2019 – admitted that he pushed Mr Prosser to the ground while trying to stop him opening the gate – but claimed he came off worse in the brawl.

‘He got up and hit me and I was the one who ended up going to hospital for a check-up’, Kynaston said. 

‘He has made numerous complaints to the police, the environment agency, animal welfare people, anyone he can think of because he’s so vindictive.

‘What didn’t come out in court were the allegations he’s made to the police against me that have been dropped for lack of evidence.’

Kynaston featured in his local paper two years ago when he donated his late wife’s collection of hundreds of teddy bears to a charity who passed them on to children in difficult circumstances, including in Ukraine.

He added: ‘(Mr Prosser’s) always made out that I’m the villain in all this but he’s the one who yelled abuse. I had a stroke two years and my doctor said it was the stress of all this brought it on.

‘I don’t want anything more to do with him. I’ve lived here for 52 years and I have no intention of going anywhere.’