Elementary my dear Watson

HE’S probably the most famous private detective in the world.

Most people have read a Sherlock Holmes book or seen a film about the detective.

So it is such a shame that the home of the fictional character creator (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) is in such a bad state.

The owners of the Victorian house – which can be found in the Surrey-Hampshire-Sussex border (and called Undershaw) – want to turn it into eight executive homes.

But fans of Sherlock Holmes believe that the home should be kept as it is of historical value and I agree with what they say.

Surely lottery funding could be used to buy the home and restore it for the benefit of the nation, who would be able to go and visit.

This is the house where Conan Doyle wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles, which most people know the story of.

I have visited the Sherlock Holmes museum in Baker Street, but I think Undershaw would be of more interest as it was where Conan Doyle found his inspiration for so many plots and interesting and quirky stories.

If you want to object it is elementary, all you have to do is log onto waverley.gov.uk and quote planning reference 0172.