Oh well, I can't say that I didn't expect this reaction and I do understand people's fear of crime and anti-social behaviour (not that it is absent from the hill today - see the charred remains of my shed for more details).

I just thought it would be nice to sort something out before my daughter has the same walk to primary school that I had.

On to plan B, I need to start digging an underground railroad to smuggle children out of SE23 and over the border to SE26. Failing this I will need to reconsider the giant catapult that I had initially ruled out due to the mess it might create.