THE daughter of a well-known North-East businesswoman, staging a sit-in at her premises in a row with her landlords, says they were left with little choice if the company is to be saved.

Police were called to Thompson Waste Centre in Hendon, Sunderland, where Anne Ganley OBE was refusing to leave.

Ms Ganley and her daughter Gemma and their two dogs remain in the premises tonight (Friday) – with, they say, all but one of the doors secured by landlords.

The businesswoman was declared bankrupt last year after her Wearside-based firm A Thompson and Sons and its sister business TAPS (Thompson Associated Plumbing Supplies) went into administration.

Ms Ganley then launched a new waste handling business on a different site in Hendon.

But agents, ACT, for the landowners, took possession of the building on Thursday.

Trouble flared when they arrived to lock up the site while Ms Ganley was still inside.

Speaking from inside the premises, Gemma Ganley said: “We have no option other than to stay here.

“It’s very traumatic, bearing in mind what happened with my mam’s previous company two years ago. That is why we are really fighting to save this business, whereas last time we didn’t really know our rights.”

Gemma said they were left with no option but to take direct action if the company, which employs ten people, is to have a future.

“It’s the only course of action we have been left with,” she said. “We have tried to speak to them many times since they became the landlords just under a year ago.

“We have continued to pay monthly rental payments and have never missed a payment. We have been in numerous discussions with them to buy the property, but these discussions always seem to fall through at the eleventh hour.”

Police, who have said the row is a civil matter, have stood down, but Gemma said patrols were still driving by every now and then.

“We will stay for as long as it takes,” she said. “We are hoping to go to court on Monday and get some sort of official document.”

She said their action had not been planned.

“We had no idea. We turned up to work yesterday morning and found they were evicting us,” she said. “We have had to think on our feet and do what we think is best. We think it is best to stay in the property.”

The Northern Echo has not been able to contact ACT, but in a statement issued earlier today the company said site owner had, following legal advice, terminated Ms Ganley’s occupancy with immediate effect on Monday after serving a solicitors letter.

A spokesman for Northumbria Police said: “This is a civil dispute. Neither side has the correct court documents required and this is not a police matter.

“However, if any criminal offences take place we will make inquiries.

“There is now access into and out of the building and we have had an officer down there to monitor the situation and prevent any breach of the peace.

“There is nobody actually trapped inside the building now. They have been able to leave.”

Ms Ganley received the OBE in 2013 in recognition of her services to employment, industry and her local community and for decades of charity work.