Residents in a Colley Gate street are fuming after a six-foot high "eyesore" fence was put up which they say locks them out of nearby green space.

People living in Beechcroft Estate say they feel like they have been imprisoned by the iron fence which separates them from a green which has a summer house.

They claim it cost council taxpayers £6,200 to put up and was designed to keep kids away from OAP bungalows on the estate.

Fiona Stafford, a 40-year-old customer service worker, said: "When I look out all I can see is this big fence.

"Our children are denied access to the green and summer house.

"It looks like a cage and effectively cuts us off from half the estate."

Maxine Clinton, a 37-year-old full-time mum said: "It's horrible, it's an eyesore.

"It's public amenity land.

"Kids go over and sit there in the summer - there's a lot of kids on the estate.

"The children that go there are just talking and maybe smoking - they aren't on the rampage. They are just kids.

"To take it off them is ridiculous.

"We feel like we are being caged out."

Councillor Richard Body said the three ward councillors weren't consulted about the fence going up.

He said: "We weren't aware it was happening.

"To me it looks very industrial, it's not what you would expect in a residential area.

"It only protects about eight bungalows.

"If it's what the residents wanted then fine, but if not it should be looked at."

A spokesman for Dudley Council said: "Residents of the council bungalows in Beechcroft Estate had been experiencing problems with youths causing anti-social behaviour near their homes.

"Following consultation the elderly tenants expressed a preference for a fence to be installed.

"Similar fences have also been installed at the request of tenants in Hightown, Beechfield Close and Shell Corner."