Neighbour from hell ordered to clear up 'unbearably smelly' garden that he's transformed into a scrapyard

Published 02nd Oct 2009

A neighbour from hell who has turned his back garden into an ugly scrapyard is facing prosecution for the third time.

Paul Walters has crammed his property with tonnes of rubbish - thought to include three cars - up to head height and it is set to cost a stunning £20,000 to clear up.

Environment chiefs are poised to prosecute him in a bid to finally force him to clean up his junk after an incredible five years of hoarding.

Neighbours Tony and Sheila Withers said Mr Walters, who was once a friend, has turned into a nightmare reclusive resident in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

The retired couple have to keep their windows sealed in warm weather to protect their kitchen from swarms of flies and horrifying smells coming from the tip.

Tony, 69, a former lorry driver, said: "The smell is unbearable and we can't put up with it any longer.

"For the past five years he has just been hoarding all this stuff and it has to stop so we can get back to normal."

The great-grandfather added: "The force of all his rubbish is causing our fence to collapse. It's an absolute nightmare."

The mountain of rubbish even spills out into the shared drive between the two semi-detached houses.

Spare parts, ladders, copper pipes, old clothes and milk bottles block an area supposed to be used for car parking space and rear access.

Mr Walters was fined £500 and ordered to pay £1,300 costs in March this year but still did not clear his garden or pay the council's case fees.

He was also taken to court over the hellish state of his garden in January 2008 but the problem has got worse over the last 18 months.

The issue has now been taken up by local councillor Dawn Payne, who has been working with council officers to thrash out a solution.

Cllr Payne said: "I really feel for the neighbours because the condition of his garden is totally unacceptable.

"We need to make sure this is resolved as soon as possible, because it has gone on long enough."

A North Somerset Council spokesman said: "We have taken him to court twice previously, but the rubbish hasn't been removed and we are likely to prosecute him again.

"We are looking at the costs involved in carrying out direct action, but the reason we are doing this is because we have to be able to justify spending that amount of money in one place."

Source: ' Daily Mail '

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