AN estate agent has moved to explain an enthusiastic house advert which some neighbours believed referred to them disparagingly.

Ian Bebbington insists his description of the £139,000 endterrace home was merely trying to enthuse prospective buyers to the green-fingered benefits of the huge rear garden.

The property is in Prospect View, in Northallerton, North Yorkshire – a mix of housing association and privately-owned homes.

Some residents took exception to the advertising hyperbole which emphasised advantages of ownership as including “being scruffy”, “taking in new smells”

and “gazing at pond life”.

Mr Bebbington, who composed the advert, said it was intended to highlight the benefits of making full use of the garden.

“It is different, but that is the idea. You have to read it in the context of the advert,” he explained.

Asked if there was any intention to refer to Prospect View residents, he replied: “Absolutely not.”

The advert for the refurbished three-bedroomed property appeared in last week’s North Yorkshire Advertiser, a sister publication of The Northern Echo.

As well as the usual information – including through living room with patio doors, refitted dining kitchen with integrated appliances and double glazing, it went on to extol the virtues of a good-sized front garden and “absolutely huge rear garden, ideal for gardeners”.

It continued: “Things you may not need if you live at this house: Concrete. An allotment. Workout DVDs. Exercise bikes. Lastminute trips to the petrol station for flowers. Packaging. A carbon footprint. A grocery bill.”

It continued: “Plus you will enjoy doing new things: Being scruffy. Taking in new smells; manure, compost... smoking out your neighbours, wielding garden tools. Bonding with a good shed. Being boiled in your greenhouse.

Gazing at pond life.”

Some residents who misconstrued the wording have contacted Mr Bebbington to complain.

Kitchen porter Mike Carter, 45, who has lived in the street for several years, said: “This is a proper family road, everybody works and we all look out for each other.

“We feel disgusted at this advert.”

Farmer’s wife Dee Hills, 48, who lives next door to the house being marketed, said she was upset at the advert.