A WOMBWELL man faces arrest unless he removes a '12, Crackpot Avenue' sign from outside his house.

Michael Beck has had a visit from police officers who have told him the joke sign is causing 'harassment.' He could appear in court unless its removed within a few days.

Mr Beck, whose official address is Jones Avenue, said: "I was amazed. When I saw the police at my door I thought a member of my family had been in an accident. But it was to tell me my sign had to be removed with immediate effect, I thought it was a prank."

It is understood the joke sign, which was apparently bought by a friend, had caused offence to a neighbour who Mr Beck has had disputes with in the past.

He is believed to have referred to the neighbours as 'crackpots', leading them to see this sign as another attack on them.

Mr Beck said: "The reason the sign is up is because of a couple of broken clay pots from our holiday in Turkey. Whenever friends came round they said they were visiting the 'crackpots'."

Sgt Phil Jenkins, from the safer neighbourhood team, said: "Anyone with a visual sign causing harm or offence to others will be asked to remove it.

"There are different extremes, but even something like this which is on a smaller scale is still seen as harassment and is therefore an arrestable offence." Mr Beck says he has no intention of removing the sign as he does not see a problem with it. "A lot of people have joke signs on their home, like 'mad house', if I phoned the police about a hanging basket on some ones home that I didn't like would they go screeching up to their house and treat them like a criminal too."

If the sign is not taken down it will be up to a court to decide what the consequences are.