THE parents of cerebral palsy sufferer Millie Landon have admitted defeat and torn down the youngster's rooftop garden after a government planning inspector ordered its removal.

Linda, 44, says the family is disappointed with the decision but cannot do any more.

Bob and Linda built the £1,500 safe haven in Catlow Hall Street, Oswaldtwistle, last summer.

But they had not sought planning permission and retrospective applications in November 2001 and March 2001 were refused by Hyndburn development services committee.

Members of the board said the sanctuary, above a garage behind their chip shop, was nothing more than a glorified beer garden and that the application had not highlighted Millie's needs for the garden.

Neighbours had also complained that their backyards were overlooked by the balcony and the reasons cited for refusal were loss of privacy and the un-neighbourly form of development.

The garden has now been ripped out but Linda, 44, says the family has been greatly upset by the experience.

She said: "We have done all we can and decided there is not much point in carrying on.

"We put up a good fight and we lost so for a quiet life we have taken it down quietly.

"It has been such a headache for us and very upsetting but we would like to thank everybody who has supported us and everything they tried to do."