Betty Robinson and pal Brenda Bennett, 69, went to shoot some pictures on a common in Southampton, Hants. But as Betty pointed her lens at the deserted pool a female council official stormed out of her hut and demanded she stop.

Betty, who has been taking photos in the park for decades, said: "She told us those were the rules to protect children. To me, this was bureaucracy gone mad. I just thought it would make a jolly nice picture. There were no children in the pool but she pointed to boys in the distance and said we could come back when the park was closed. We are just a couple of old ladies, we are certainly not paedophiles. I couldn't even see the children she referred to."

Brenda, also of Southampton, said: "It's over the top. We've been coming here for years." City council bosses have apologised and said staff would be told to use their discretion.

Council worker...discretion... I can see those worms getting away again

Claims of paedophilia were unfounded but Betty's snaps still held a dark secret.

The original was here