Retired geologist Peter Prescesky yesterday hit back at claims that he is wrecking the shoreline and stealing a neighbour's boulders.

Sixty-eight-year-old Mr. Prescesky is building a $300,000 sea wall to protect his South Shore property from a crumbling cliff.

But the work has ruffled the feathers of neighbours -- who claim he has stolen their boulders to help build the wall and is ruining their shoreline.

The Planning Department has also stepped in to halt the work while they investigate whether Mr. Prescesky had violated planning laws.

Yesterday Mr. Prescesky said: "Allegations have been made in my absence about `who does this rich Canadian think he is coming down here disfiguring our shoreline'. I want to refute that remark. This is not my intention.'' Contractors started building the wall last June, digging out a trench for foundations and then piling boulders against the exposed cliff face.

Thousands of tonnes of concrete were then poured over and as the wall climbed, boulders were piled up against it for use as a ramp.

Work was necessary as Hurricane Felix stripped away about 30 feet of land in front of his house, leaving it just a few yards from a sheer cliff face.

However, co-owner of neighbouring land David Williams said family members could see the damage done to their portion of the shoreline.

He claimed that Mr. Prescesky had stripped them of protection to lay boulders in front of his own house.

"The allegations are that I have used the neighbours' boulders inside the sea wall. That is not true,'' added Mr. Prescesky, of Saucos Hill.

"I used boulders in front of a lot which has been vacant for 20 years for the ramp. That does not mean it has been disowned but it does give a licence to move boulders to make a ramp.

"When I am finished I will move the boulders back. I will move them back tomorrow. I have made that offer and it has been refused on the grounds it has gone too far.'' Earlier this week, work on the wall was stopped because Mr. Prescesky had not informed the Planning Department that work had started.

No inspectors were brought into look at the structure and it appears the wall differs from the original plans. As a result, Planning wrote to Mr.

Prescesky's lawyer.

Planning officials met Mr. Prescesky yesterday to try and sort out the situation.

Environment Minister Pamela Gordon said: "Mr. Prescesky has agreed that there were some difficulties and he is now working with the Planning Department to correct the problem.

"He will ensure that the wall is built correctly within the specifications of the Planning Department and he will do whatever is necessary to correct what exists.'' It is unlikely the department will get involved over the allegedly stolen boulders which is a private matter.

Mr. Prescesky, who was away in Canada when the row blew up, returned early from vacation to sort the problem out.

"Morally I felt I had to be there,'' he said. "I would not leave the boulders strewn there. I do not intend to leave them there. For God's sake let me finish the job.

"I intend to tidy up the shoreline completely. I think this is a storm in a tea cup. I think there has been a lot of misunderstanding.

"I do not want the boulders. I cannot use the boulders. I cannot stand the sight of the boulders. Allegations that I deliberately defaced a neighbour's property are untrue and innappopriate.''