TV sensation Susan Boyle enjoys the spoils of global fame – a new fence

Published on Monday 20 April 2009 22:08

SHE has taken the world by storm and become an internet phenomenon but so far success has brought little in the way of material reward for Scottish singer Susan Boyle. Until now.

The Britain's Got Talent celebrity finally started to enjoy the spoils of fame yesterday, when West Lothian Council pushed her to the front of the waiting list to have the fence around her Blackburn home replaced.

The council admitted that it had given her priority due to fears that the shaky structure could not cope with the hundreds of well-wishers and media beating a path to her door since she performed I Had A Dream on the ITV talent show.

The local authority sent out a council worker to replace the fence and her gate before her next TV appearance.

The singer has lived her whole life in the four-bedroom house in Blackburn and the rusting fence and rickety gate in the garden had seen better days long before her new found popularity.

Council worker Steven Carroll, who was charged with the task, was offered a cup of tea by the woman herself while he carried out the work yesterday.

He spent more than four hours trimming back the hedge, pulling out the old green fence and putting a studier wooden one in its place.

The fencer, who has worked for the council for more than 15 years, laughed off the idea that Boyle was his most famous customer.

He said that his family were big fans of her: "They love her and watch the show. Everyone in Blackburn is enjoying watching her because everyone knows who she is.

"I knew straight away it was Susan's house. I assume she knew I was coming because she has been out to say hello."

Mr Carroll added the new fence would not give the star any more privacy as it would be the same height.

He said: "I'm going to trim the hedge back, pull out the old one and put a new wood fence in its place. It should be about the same height."

Although she is currently West Lothian's most famous export, the council insists she is not getting VIP treatment.

Instead, they claimed the fence was replaced as part of an ongoing fencing initiative.

But they did admit that because of the number of people going to the house it had been moved up the priority list.

A council spokesperson said: "There is currently an ongoing council-fencing programme being carried out in the area, and Ms Boyle's council property is one of many that will be repaired in the coming weeks and months. Given the large number of people currently surrounding Ms Boyle's council property, including many young people, we felt it necessary to quickly ensure her fence was safe and secure to withstand the hundreds of well-wishers who have been visiting her home."

The 47-year-old has seen her career blossom over the past week, since she caught the nation's imagination. Her local football club have said that they would be willing to stage a live concert at Almondvale Stadium in West Lothian to promote Boyle and help the cash-strapped club to raise much needed funds.

They have already placed a rare copy of her first song on a charity CD, Cry Me a River, recorded a decade ago on eBay.

It was also revealed yesterday that her decision to pay for her one and only recording session could be worth millions of pounds to her, as it means she owns the copyright to her 1999 renditions.

It has also been announced that Boyle has signed with Scots PR company Dada, who also carry out publicity for the BBC, Hugo Boss and Durex.