Robert Fidler, now 67, quoted in national newspapers as admitting defeat in his long running battle with planners from Reigate & Banstead Council and shown in photos to be demolishing his famed castle in a haystack self-built in Salfords without planning permission using many reclaimed building materials and much architectural salvage, is NOT yet according to the BBC prepared to commence demolition.
 
Photos showing him actually building the illegal castle purport to show him demolishing it.
 
Mr Fidler told the BBC in December that he might look at reducing his home in size, possibly to a bungalow, after the winter. The council first told the farmer to demolish his property in 2007. In November, a High Court judge gave Mr Fidler a three-month suspended sentence, telling him he would be jailed for his "defiance" if the structure was not pulled down by June. In November, Mr Fidler told the High Court he could not demolish the castle as there were bats living there. More than 1,800 people have signed a petition which calls on Reigate and Banstead Council to stop the "wasteful" enforcement.
 
On 25th March, The Sun, said the farmer who built his dream castle without planning permission was finally tearing it down. On 26th March the BBC that he has not started to demolish it and denied saying that he had.