Farmer loses court fight to save secret castle

A farmer who secretly built a castle and lived in it for four years while it was concealed behind bales of straw has lost a High Court bid to save it from being demolished.

A judge ruled Robert Fidler, 60, who took two years to covertly build his dream home with ramparts and cannon, was not entitled to benefit from his deception of the local planning authority.

According to ITN News, Mr Fidler, of Honeycrock Farm on Axes Lane in Salfords, Redhill, Surrey, had been hoping for another chance at securing planning consent to keep the property.

He and his wife Linda, 40, and their son Harry, eight, moved into the castle when it was complete in 2002, and for four years kept it hidden from the local planning authority, Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, behind walls made of straw bales and tarpaulin.