FAMILY FURY
Captain Tom’s family ‘spoilt everything’ in our town over their ‘prison-like’ spa extension – they don’t even talk to us
Neighbours also claimed the extension has impacted their personal finances
NEIGHBOURS of Captain Tom's family say they have "spoilt everything" thanks to a row over a "prison-like" spa complex.
Planners ordered Tom's daughter Hannah Ingram Moore to demolish the facility last year after it was ruled illegal.
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But the row and revelations over the Ingram-Moores' handing of charity finances has "tarnished" the village, locals say.
Frustrated Ian Knight, told the : “We were proud of what he’s done but now we’re the laughing stock.
“They’ve spoilt everything. It was a good thing what he’s done, and now it’s embarrassing.”
Captain Tom Moore raised almost £40 million for the NHS during the Covid pandemic by walking laps of his garden.
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The challenge captured the nation's hearts and he was knighted for his achievements but sadly died of Covid in February 2021.
Hannah set up the Captain Tom Foundation in his memory and in 2021 the council gave the green light for a new office building to run the charity.
But the family instead built a 50ft by 20ft pool house with changing rooms, toilets and showers in the garden of their £1.2 home in Marston Moretaine, Beds.
The C-shaped building - due to be flattened on February 7 - has "devalued" other homes and looks like a "prison", one neighbour said.
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A third said it was "about time they knocked it down".
Others claimed Hannah and husband Colin had "never spoken to anybody", which further soured the neighbours' opinions.
The family had applied in their own names for planning but used the foundation's name in the design, access and heritage statement, The Sun revealed last year.
FROM NHS HERO TO SPA CARNAGE
How the Captain Tom Moore story unfolded:
- April 2020 - Cap Tom Moore walks laps of garden for NHS Charities Together, raises over £39 million by his 100th birthday on April 30
- June 2020 - Captain Tom Foundation established by daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore
- February 2021 - Captain Tom dies after contracting Covid-19
- 2021 - Council give permission to build garden office for foundation
- June 2022 - Charity commission investigates questions over foundation finances
- July 2023 - Office turns out to be spa complex and charity stops receiving donations
- November 2023 - Family appeal previous demolition order which council throw out
- February 7, 2024 - Spa complex due to be demolished
A subsequent 2022 retrospective application - sought after something has already been built - to extend the building from an L-shape to a C-shape containing a spa pool, was refused by the planning authority.
Workmen were last week pictured clearing out the £200,000 building - removing a BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award and Guinness Book of Records certificate.
POCKETING FUNDS
Hannah previously admitted to pocketing £800,000 from the three books her dad had written - claiming he wanted his family to keep the profits.
She told TalkTV's Piers Morgan: "We have to accept that we made a decision, and it was probably the wrong one."
Other controversies included her £18,000 payment to attend the Captain Tom awards - and only donating £2,000 of it to his charity.
Neighbours had previously accused Hannah of "playing on her father's name".
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