Neighbour row erupts after EastEnders actor’s wife bitten by dog at luxury holiday lodge
A four-year long dispute between EastEnders actor John Blundell and his neighbours has turned ugly, describing it as a “living nightmare” after his wife was bitten by a dog.
The actor revealed he and his wife Mercina were struggling to enjoy time away at their luxury lodge over the row with neighbours.
The couple’s relations with Alison and Andrew Girdiefski soured after Mercina was bitten by their neighbour’s Chinese crested dog, Ziggy.
It left her with a scar on her wrist.
The row culminated in the Blundells claiming to police that they had been verbally abused, filmed, barked at and even had ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ sung at them.
The Girdiefski’s deny the allegations, pointing out all criminal investigations had been dropped.
They claim the Blundells have remained friends with them, inviting them to dinner until an insurance claim over the dog bite had failed.
The stoush has taken place at Fritton Lake, a private holiday club in Norfolk and owned by Lord Somerleyton.
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He has tried to mediate between the couples, however, to no avail.
The resort has 115 lodges which sell up to £350,000 each and owners pay about £8,000 ground rent, including clubhouse, bar, restaurant, pool, gym, tennis and volleyball court access.
The resort also includes a shop and floating sauna.
As a result of the neighbourhood battle, Blundell said the couple “now go back to our home in Camden in London for a rest”.
“This was supposed to be an idyllic holiday retreat and it has turned into a living nightmare,” he said.
However, the situation hasn’t been easy on the Girdiefskis with Alison saying they had spent £19,000 on solicitor’s fees and expecting a further £11,000 damages bill after admitting liability.
She said there was “no animosity” when both parties were going through the pet insurance stage.
“But when they learned that the pet insurance wouldn’t pay out to them because the incident took place inside the holiday lodge, things changed,” Alison said.
She claimed they were “doing this for the money” – which Blundell has denied.
The dog bit Mercina in June, 2021, two months after the Blundells bought their lodge.
The bite broke through Mercina’s skin on her wrist and left her with a half-inch scar.
She went to James Paget Hospital in Gorleston for treatment.
The Blundells made a claim on the Girdiefskis’ pet insurance but due to it not occurring in a public space, they were rejected.
Mercina claimed bad blood developed between the couples as they would “sneakily film” and “hurl abuse at us”.
“When they would go past (us), they would bark at us and growl, pretending to be dogs,” Mercina said.
“They have shown no guilt or remorse and would even sing ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’.”
After police claims fell through, the Blundells launched the civil case and multiple attempts were made, according to Alison to settle the matter outside of course.
A court told the Girdiefskis a settlement figure would be decided later this year.