THE TELEGRAPH: A historic Buckinghamshire village has been blighted since Tony Blair moved into his £6m stately home, some neighbours claim.
Residents of Wotton Underwood say Mr Blair lives like a superstar and that they have had to endure helicopter noise and the presence of armed police.
One family has moved out, while others claim their children have been affected.
The picturesque village has been made a designated security area under the Terrorism Act, allowing officers to stop and search passers-by and ban photography.
Mr Blair and his wife, Cherie, are also having building work carried out. One resident claimed that a phone line installed for Mr Blair, who remains in close contact with world leaders, was mistakenly connected to her fax machine.
The complaints came as Mr Blair returned to national politics on Tuesday with a speech in support of Labour’s election campaign.
The Blairs bought South Pavilion, a 17th-century home in the village, for £5.75 million in May 2008.
The Grade I-listed property, once home to Sir John Gielgud, has seven bedrooms, ornamental gardens, a tennis court and swimming pool. It is the most valuable property in the Blairs’ £12 million portfolio. Tony Blair 'has blighted Buckinghamshire village' >>> Jon Swaine | Saturday, April 03, 2010
