Man who built blockade to stop drivers parking near his home says he's now famous - with people travelling miles to see him

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A homeowner who caused a stir constructing a barricade to stop people parking on his street is now so ‘famous’ people flock to meet him. Derek Woodacre, of Commonside Road in Mosley Common, said that since the news broke that his roadblock had been removed people from ‘across Manchester’ have come to visit him and see the site for themselves.

Since starting this battle with parents doing the school drop off at St John’s Primary School years ago, the Wiganer has become notorious locally - but that has now erupted. The 65-year-old explained that he has had people ‘in tears of laughter’ telling them about his plans for the future.

“People drive past Manchester and are coming to see me and burst out laughing,” he said.

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“They are in tears hearing about what I have planned for the future. It has gone mad in the area."

Back in July, Derek’s homemade measures to stop parking were removed but that has only toughened his resolve to get the road certified as unadopted. Derek makes his own gnomes and has even created ones supporting the Ukraine appeal.

If the road becomes unadopted and he is able to reinstall a blockade, he plans on making more gnomes to go on the road in what he calls ‘Lake Gnomo’, combining his love of gnomes and Lake Como - an extension of what he calls ‘Gnome Man’s Land’ in his front garden.

People across Greater Manchester and further afield have been visiting Derek and talking to him about this conflict, he claims. Despite this newfound popularity, Derek is not number one on all of his neighbours' Christmas card lists.

These neighbours told the Manchester Evening News that his antics had led to ‘sleepless nights’ and the barricade