Officers went to the 10-year-old's home after an elderly neighbour complained about the noise that the youngster was making by kicking his ball around.

They arranged an "instant restorative justice session" between the boy and the 76-year-old woman ? a measure designed to show offenders the effects of their crime on the community.

The heavy-handed approach has been criticised by the boy's neighbours and community leaders in Blackburn who claim that the saga has been a waste of public funds.

Maureen Bateson, a Labour councillor who applied for council funding for the net on behalf of the police, said: "I couldn't believe it had got this far.

"I just think it's crazy that children can't play in their own garden. Kids today have lost a lot of play spaces. You can't say to a 10-year-old kid he can't play in his garden.

"I presented the case that the police told me to and I was very clear that we were not setting a precedent.

"I would be really disappointed if this became the norm. I only did it because it had been taken this far by the police."

Tory councillor Derek Hardman, who was at the meeting when the funding was agreed for the net, said: "My feeling is this is a waste of resources.

"Where does it stop? Are we going to get people queuing up asking for things for their gardens so they don't disturb their neighbours? It is ludicrous."

Matthew Elliott, of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "This is an absurd waste of time and taxpayers' money.

"A 10-year-old boy has a right to kick a football in his back garden, and his neighbours have a right to some peace and quiet."

Even the pensioner, who had made the initial complaint, said she believed that the measure would not be effective.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said: "I don't know how this will fix it. It's not nice with the noise and my argument is there is a park just across the road.

"This should have been sorted a long time ago."

Blackburn with Darwen Council defended the move saying that it was appropriate to "quickly resolve" the dispute. Officers went to the 10-year-old's home after an elderly neighbour complained about the noise that the youngster was making by kicking his ball around.

The boy has also now been given a ?26 net to prevent the noise of his ball hitting a garden fence ? the cost of which will be met by taxpayers.

The heavy-handed approach has been criticised by the boy's neighbours and community leaders in Blackburn who claim that the saga has been a waste of public funds.

Maureen Bateson, a Labour councillor who applied for council funding for the net on behalf of the police, said: "I couldn't believe it had got this far.

"I just think it's crazy that children can't play in their own garden. Kids today have lost a lot of play spaces. You can't say to a 10-year-old kid he can't play in his garden.

"I presented the case that the police told me to and I was very clear that we were not setting a precedent.

"I would be really disappointed if this became the norm. I only did it because it had been taken this far by the police."

Tory councillor Derek Hardman, who was at the meeting when the funding was agreed for the net, said: "My feeling is this is a waste of resources.

"Where does it stop? Are we going to get people queuing up asking for things for their gardens so they don't disturb their neighbours? It is ludicrous."

Matthew Elliott, of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "This is an absurd waste of time and taxpayers' money.

"A 10-year-old boy has a right to kick a football in his back garden, and his neighbours have a right to some peace and quiet."

Even the pensioner, who had made the initial complaint, said she believed that the measure would not be effective.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said: "I don't know how this will fix it. It's not nice with the noise and my argument is there is a park just across the road.

"This should have been sorted a long time ago."

Blackburn with Darwen Council defended the move saying that it was appropriate to "quickly resolve" the dispute.