A middle class community in northern France has resorted to drastic measures to seal itself off from its not-so-well-to-do neighbours living opposite

A large iron barrier has been erected to separate the two neighbourhoods, near the city of Lille. It is a move that has provoked strong feelings from those who find themselves on the poorer side of the fence. One resident said he found it shameful.But that is not how many of the fancy folk on the other side it. They are fed up with their neighbours, claiming local youths are too noisy. Whatever the rights and wrongs of it all, however, the bars look like they are staying put, even if that does mean that shortcuts for shopping trips and taking the children to school are now a thing of the past.