Barney Davis
Published December 10, 2025 7:24pm
Updated December 10, 2025 7:25pm
Share this article via whatsappShare this article via xCopy the link to this article.Link is copiedShare this article via facebook
Comment now
Comments
Leaf me alone: Pensioner Roy Marsh has been fined £250 for ‘spitting out a leaf’(Picture: Jane Marsh Fitzpatrick Facebook)
A pensioner has been left ‘anxious’ to go outside after being fined by the council for spitting out a leaf that had blown into his mouth.
Roy Marsh, 86, was slapped with a £250 fine after being caught ‘littering’ by jobsbody enforcers as he walked through Skegness.
He had plonked himself down on a bench by some reeds when one of the huge leaves struck him in the face.
‘As I was sitting there, a gale blew a big reed into my mouth. I spat it out and just as I got up to walk away two guys (enforcement officers) came up to me,’ he said.
Mr Marsh claimed one of the officers in the seaside town shouted ‘Hey you, we’ve got reason to believe you’ve been spitting’.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.
‘It was all unnecessary and all out of proportion.’ Mr Marsh said, claiming he called the officer a ‘silly boy’.
A fine of £250 was issued in February, which was later reduced on appeal to £150. Mr Marsh had no choice but to pay.
Roy Marsh says it could’ve happened to anybody (Credits: Getty Images)
‘It was something that could have happened to anyone,’ he said. ‘It’s left me anxious about going out.’
The grandfather-of-two said: ‘I was shocked when they approached me. I don’t know where they appeared from.
‘I’ve been back down there filming today for the local TV news and it was windy again – a leaf smacked me right in the face while we were walking so it could have happened again.’
His 76-year-old wife Anne who helped her husband run a taxi firm before their retirement, said: ‘Roy didn’t spit – how many 86-year-olds do you know who go around spitting? It’s a dirty habit.
‘This really upset him. We’ve watched these officers approach many older people since. It’s like they are bullies.’
The matter was brought to light by their daughter Jane, who posted on Facebook that she was ‘disgusted’.
Ms Fitzpatrick wrote: ‘Recently Dad who has walking difficulties but does his best to walk every day around the boating lake, inhaled a small leaf that made him choke
‘Dad has severe asthma and a heart condition, he managed to cough up the leaf and spit it out. (just the leaf).’
She claimed to have seen enforcement officials approach older people ‘many times’, and even if they pick up litter and apologise or it falls out of their pocket accidentally they are still pressured into a fine.
‘While it is important to keep our town clean, and yes I absolutely agree, the beach is often left in a disgusting state, these officers are unreasonably harassing and terrorising older people. It is a total disgrace,’ she said.
More Trending
-
Six hospitals declare critical incidents after superflu surges across UK
Channel: UK UK 9 hours ago By Jen Mills - Lucky winner claims £125,000,000 Euromillions jackpot
- More than 40 diners are food poisoned by pub's Sunday lunch
- Mum died less than 24 hours after hospital discharge
East Lindsey District Council said enforcement teams, who work on behalf of the authority, would ‘only approach individuals who have been seen committing environmental crime offences’.
The council said it closely monitored enforcement actions and patrols were ‘not targeted at any specific demographic’ and are ‘no discriminatory’.
Councillor Martin Foster, the portfolio holder for operational services, said ‘The council closely monitors data on enforcement actions, including those relating to such things as littering, fly-tipping and dog-related offences.
‘Our ultimate aim is to invoke a change in behaviour and stop people committing environmental crime so residents and visitors can enjoy a clean and safe environment.’
Arrow MORE: Testing shows scale of cancer-linked pesticides on these 12 fruits and veg
Arrow MORE: Open fires and wood-burning stoves face crackdown in new air pollution plans
Arrow MORE: ‘Tacky tourism’ is breathing new life into these UK seaside towns
Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source News UpdatesStay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.
Email I agree to receive newsletters from Metro I agree to receive newsletters from Metro Sign UpSign UpThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy