Ananova:

An 82 year old woman has been banned from taking photos of an empty paddling pool in case she was a paedophile.

Betty Robinson and pal Brenda Bennett, 69, went to shoot some pictures on a common in Southampton, Hants.

But as Betty pointed her lens at the deserted pool a female council official stormed out of her hut and demanded she stop, reports The Sun.

Betty, who has been taking photos in the park for decades, said: "She told us those were the rules to protect children.

"To me, this was bureaucracy gone mad. I just thought it would make a jolly nice picture.

"There were no children in the pool but she pointed to boys in the distance and said we could come back when the park was closed.

"We are just a couple of old ladies, we are certainly not paedophiles. I couldn't even see the children she referred to."

Brenda, also of Southampton, said: "It's over the top. We've been coming here for years."

City council bosses have apologised and said staff would be told to use their discretion.