Domingo Alonso was a bit choked, to say the least, when he discovered that the Town Hall had embargoed his pension and savings – he’s 77.

What could lead the Town Hall of Castelans in Galicia to deprive a pensioner of his pension and life savings? Well, it seems that Domingo had wickedly extended his kitchen by one metre.

For this massive overbuild he was fined 4,788, even though he only receives a pension of 341 euros a month.

Domingo was one of the many Spaniards that emigrated 50-odd years ago from impoverished Spain to find work in Argentina. Once he reached retirement age he returned to his native land, armed with an Argentinean pension of 340 euros per month and a generous contribution from the Spanish state of one euro fifty.

He decided to return to the house of his childhood; a semi-ruin without electricity or running water, so he applied for a grant from the Regional Authorities and received 1,317 euros to make it habitable.

The restoration work commenced whilst he was still out in Argentina and during his absence a town-hall official came around, looked over the work site and considered that the original kitchen space had grown by one metre… a serious offence!

Domingo refused to demolish the kitchen and received three fines amounting to 4,778 euros (interest included).

Flat broke, he has now been presented with a bill for 7,379 euros for the pending demolition of his kitchen…

(News: Castelans, Galicia, Spain)