A woman's ex-lover barricaded her out of her own home by dumping heavy industrial containers in front of the doors.

Lucy Pettett, 37, came home from work to find her front and back doors blocked by the two huge immovable crates.

Her friend and one of her neighbours said they had seen her ex-partner, who works in the plant and machine moving business, unload the monster containers outside her house on Wednesday.

Miss Pettett, of Old Shoreham Road, Lancing, could not get into her house until later that evening when a locksmith arrived to let her in by a side door.

Earlier, neighbours looked on in disbelief as Miss Pettett's ex-partner James Messham, manoeuvred the heavy containers in to place off the back of a lorry using a crane.

A friend of Miss Pettett's saw it happen as she drove past on her way home to lunch.

She said: "I looked at Lucy's house and saw James's truck there, facing the main road.

"He was standing next to the container, which was already in place, and some of the chains were still attached to the crane above it.

"He had obviously just put it there."

Miss Pettett, a riding instructor, is left with the task of having the containers, which each weigh more than a ton, moved.

Police said there was nothing they could do because the crates were on private land.

Miss Pettett said she and Mr Messham split six months ago and decided to sell the house they had bought together.

It has been sold and completion is due in June. Miss Pettett said: "I don't know why he did this. I can't get into my own house.

"He left six months ago and I have been living there while it was on the market. I came back from holiday to find he had been staying at the house. He left before I got back so the police advised me to get the locks changed.

"I think that's why he has done this - he can't get in so he doesn't want me to able to, either."

The couple were together for three years.

Miss Pettett said: "I never thought he would do anything like this. He's moved back to his old house. I don't know why he won't leave me alone."

A neighbour said: "I saw the man who I believe used to live there depositing the red container at the back.

"My concern is that there is a drain running along the back which won't be able to take that weight for long. I will have something to say if it stays there for any length of time."

A spokeswoman for Adur Council said: "The container have been brought to our attention and we will be looking into why they are there, how long they are staying and whether they need planning permission."

Mr Messham, 40, declined to comment.