Man's revenge on boy who runs through his garden turns into sweet friendship

Man's revenge on boy who runs through his garden turns into sweet friendshipA man was left fuming when a 14-year-old boy repeatedly stomped through his garden in football boots as a shortcut home - so he came up with a plan to get revengeCommentsNewsPaige Freshwater Social Newsdesk Writer10:21, 20 Apr 2026Updated 10:21, 20 Apr 2026View ImageThe child won't stop playing in his garden (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)A man who plotted a devious revenge on a teenage neighbour who persistently cut through his garden while heading home from playing football ended up forming an unexpected friendship with the boy. He described how the 14 year old would "stomp" across his lawn in his football boots when returning home, sweaty and tried from an evening of running about.‌Despite asking he stop using his garden as a shortcut, the lad continued his usual route, believing he could get away with it. Taking to Reddit, the unnamed man explained: "I live with my wife and son and daughter - aged nine and 11 respectively.‌"Recently, there has been this kid who comes by our house after playing soccer and either rides his bike or walks over the lawn with his cleats on his way home. It started out as me giving him stern looks whenever I saw him, then it slowly progressed to me asking him to just go around.‌"The last time I asked him to stop, he made a point to stomp extra hard and twist his feet into the grass to p*** me off."To retaliate, the man began soaking him with water from the garden hose, hoping it would discourage the teenager from trampling through his garden.However, his 'revenge' didn't quite pan out as intended.‌"The first time I sprayed him with the hose he ran off, but then for some reason he just started standing there while I hose him like he enjoys it," the 37-year-old added."It's now progressed to me sitting on my lawn chair pointing my hose at him, and him just staring at me while he does so....