A NEW FOREST pensioner has been cleared of threatening a housing officer by waving his walking stick in her face.

Leslie Withers, 82, was accused of brandishing the stick at Pauline Lewis when she called at his home at Davis Field, New Milton in October.

Mrs Lewis questioned the defendant about a boat occupying part of a communal area behind his flat, New Forest magistrates were told.

Mrs Lewis said: "I told him the district council would make arrangements for the boat to be taken away and that he would be charged for its removal and storage.

"At that point he started waving his walking stick in my face and began shouting."

Mr Withers denied threatening behaviour, saying he raised his walking stick to fully open the door, which was slightly ajar.

He added: "As soon as I lifted my stick Mrs Lewis said: 'You're threatening a council officer'. With that she turned and left."