22 February 2023 , 10:30
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Vulnerable pensioners living in a sheltered housing complex say their lives have been made hell by a persistent knock-a-door-run prankster who has been tormenting them for 15 years.
People living in Chelmsford Court in Worcester suffer nightly knocking up to four times a week.
The mystery cherry knocker has reportedly been banging on the same residents' windows and doors for the last decade-and-a-half - but has yet to be tracked down.
Residents are now in talks with bosses about installing CCTV cameras outside the sheltered accommodation to catch them red handed.
Retired postman Bryn Roberts, 75, revealed he started being targeted not long after moving into the complex in 2008.
People living in Chelmsford Court in Worcester reportedly suffer nightly knocking up to four times a week (Joseph Walshe SWNS)He said: "We don't know who it is, but it must be someone who is active in the winter.
"I have been struggling to sleep for the past few weeks due to a hernia which hasn't been made any easier having some twit bang on my windows.
"It is a little disheartening because it happens at around 3.15am and you're not up at that time in the morning to check quickly enough.
Bryn added that he can only "sleep on one side" due to his condition and found it difficult to get up to catch the culprit as a result.
Another resident, who did not want to be named, said: "If it was a silly kid I could understand it but they must be an adult now.
Mr Roberts says his hernia makes it difficult for him to get up and catch the culprit (Joseph Walshe SWNS) "We think it must be the same person because they bang on the same windows and doors and walls every time.
"I tried staying up to catch them in the act but whoever it is comes at different times and on different nights so it's very hard to predict.
"I just wish we could catch the little b****r at it and teach him a thing or two about respect."
West Mercia Police have now vowed to investigate the prankster.
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A spokesperson for Chelmsford Court said they were 'exploring various ways possible' to resolve the issue (Joseph Walshe SWNS) A police spokesperson said: "Once we have spoken to the rest of the team and established the facts we will be in a position to provide further comment."
A spokesperson from Platform Housing, which runs Chelmsford Court, said they were "sorry to hear this is currently an issue for our residents".
They added: "This has been raised previously and our on-site team have explored various ways possible to help in both identifying the perpetrator and reassuring the residents.
"Our residents' safety is of paramount importance and we will revisit this issue with them."