A pensioner has been ordered to clean up his front and back gardens – after refusing to mow the lawn for 30 YEARS.
Ray Waldron, 75, has come under fire from his neighbours after allowing weeds and bushes to grow up to 12ft tall outside his council-owned home.
He has lived in the £150,000 terraced property Firth Drive, Yardley Wood, Birmingham, since 1982 but astonishingly has not cut the grass once.
Birmingham City Council yesterday said they had contacted Mr Waldron following a string of complaints from neighbours who claimed his garden was attracting rats and foxes to the area.
Fed-up Brian Onions, 73, who lives next door to Mr Waldron, said: “I have lived here for more than 30 years and in that time I have only ever known the property to be in the same state.
“The council has been out a number of times over the years but no enforcement action is ever taken against Mr Waldron to clean up the property.
“It is a really nice street which is being dragged down by the state of one property.
“If I wanted to sell my property I would have no chance because I live next door to him.
“The council may have helped clean up his front and back gardens but it is back to being as bad as it has ever been.”
The council have included Mr Waldron in its vulnerable gardening scheme, a one-off service offering help to those unable to maintain their gardens.
A spokesman said: “Mr Waldron’s front and back gardens were attended to by the council earlier this year under the vulnerable gardening scheme.
“We have contacted Mr Waldron in the past and will do so again.
“It is worth noting, that within the city council’s conditions of tenancy we can enforce the upkeep of gardens.
“The council will work closely with Mr Waldron, as we understand how this problem can affect people in neighbouring properties.”
Mr Waldron yesterday claimed he was in the process of cleaning his garden up.
He said: “I know there are a few neighbours who have been moaning about me.
“I will do my best to clean it up. I will get a skip in and sort something out.”