By Beth Robson
brobson@thekmgroup.co.uk

An elderly widow says she has had to leave her home because of stress brought on in a dispute with the trustees of Deal Maritime and Local History Museum.

Kathleen Thomson's family say the museum's trustees have erected a four metre fence around the 82-year-old's kitchen, blocking out the light from her windows.

Judith Dore, curator of the St George's Road museum, said the fence was built to protect the property and its artifacts on the advice of police.

Martin Catt, the pensioner's son-in-law, said: "She has lost two stone in weight since this all started and we've now paid to put her in a residential home for two weeks while we start a petition to send the Charities Commission.

"She's suffering and if we took her back there, like we have before, she's almost hysterical with the stress of it."

The dispute started in 2008 when issues about access and land rental flared up after Mrs Thomson objected to a protective covering that the museum began building over one of the boat artefacts in the yard.

According to Mrs Dore, the neighbour had rented a portion of the museum's land for a peppercorn rent of £4 per year.

This was an agreement between previous owners of her house and the museum.

But the trustees were alerted that it would not be allowed by the Charities Commission and that the agreement should never have been made in the first place.

After consulting solicitors, the land was reclaimed in January 2010.

"We were advised by police to erect a fence to prevent us being able to look into her windows," Mrs Dore said.

Mrs Thomsett used the land as a garden, tending to many potted plants.

Mr Catt added: "Her garden was her life.

"We found something on the internet that states she's got a right to light because she's been there for more than 20 years."

He believes the Land Registry documents state she has still got a right to access but Mrs Dore said the family has taken this out of context.

"We've already spent more than £2,000 to try and get her right of access back," he said.

Deryck Murray, chairman of the trustees, said: "It's a storm in a tea cup.

"We had a six month notice period to honour and we issued her with a notice of our intention to reclaim the land on July 15 2009 and we put that into effect in the end of January.

"All documents relating the land at the Deal Maritime and Local History Museum are available for inspection," he said.

A Facebook group, called Shame on You Deal Maritime Museum, was launched on Thursday.

By 10am on Friday, membership had rocketed from 29 to 222 and it continues to rise.

Nathan Sewell, a former pupil of Mrs Thomson, is one of the group's administrators.

He said: "I'm delighted that people from outside the area have joined the group to back Mrs Thomson.

"There's a few of us who want to support these people who try but cannot support themselves."