A couple built what they thought was an idyllic log cabin, until they found out they could face a prison sentence if they didn't tear it down.

Andrew and Debbie Melbourne constructed the cabin in the treasured South Downs National Park, but claimed "they didn't know" it was illegal to build on the half-acre plot. They had purchased the land near the village of Catherington, just off Lovedean Lane, last year for around £20,000.

They had plans for the swish German-made prefabricated log cabin, which they reportedly bought online for £25,000, and land to become a community garden. But before they could finish their project, the couple were sensationally fined £3,500 and given 56 days to remove it or risk a custodial sentence.

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East Hampshire District Council obtained a court order in June, which required the Melbournes to take down the cabin and restore the area to its original state. It warned that "failure to comply" would lead to "enforcement proceedings in the High Court, if breached, can lead to costly legal fees and even a custodial sentence".

The plot is located on land which has "Article 4 status", meaning any type of work requires planning permission. One neighbour claimed that people had "warned" the couple that they "couldn't build there".

They told the Daily Mail:"Dozens of people went up to the site and warned them that they couldn't build there, that it was part of the National Park, but they ploughed on regardless."

The Melbournes tore down their off-the-grid structure in June, but two months later, the land where the cabin once stood remains a "building site" and has been dubbed an "eyesore". Blue tarpaulin is said to remain spread over the ground with planks of wood and plastic containers at the location.

Another local resident claimed: "The whole project is an eyesore, a carbuncle, it's all got to go! This is meant to be a quiet place where people can enjoy the natural world.

"That plot is agricultural land. But it is also home to wildlife – deer, rabbits, foxes, there's even an owl that lives in the woods. It never should have been allowed in the first place."

The local added that "it's a building site" and claimed "there's been no one there for weeks". The neighbour also voiced that it's a "scar on the landscape."

Mr Melbourne reportedly said the "cabin has been removed" and that he did not want to talk about it anymore, noting that they had been in touch with the council.

Last week, the council revealed that the couple had been given a further 28 days to return the site to its original beauty, with a deadline of Friday, 5 September. If they do not obey, they could face prosecution.

A spokesman for East Hampshire District Council said: "In our view and the view of local residents the construction of this cabin and the damage to the site caused significant harm to his part of the South Downs National Park.

"It's clear some progress has been made to remove the structure, and we have given the landowners a 28-day notice to completely return the site to its original condition."

A spokesman for the South Downs National Park Authority also said: "This is a serious breach of planning in this protected National Park landscape that has been designated for its natural beauty.

"Such breaches will not be tolerated, and robust enforcement action is being taken to ensure the land is returned to its original condition."

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