A CLEAN up of a hoarder’s garden costing thousands of pounds has been branded as “unfair”.

Contractors spent a day clearing the garden of a home in St Helens Green, Harwich, costing Tendring Council £5,500.

The council said it was forced to act after a complaint last May.

Despite requests for the front and back garden at the home to be tidied, the council said no “significant” improvement was made.

On Thursday, December 21, the garden and sheds were emptied.

Gazette:

  •  The garden before the clean-up

But Gavin Carey, a friend of the homeowner, said: “They took the tools from his shed, the oars for his dinghies, and there was a compass that was his grandfather’s.

“If you have boats, you are going to have rope and chain and as soon as chain goes in the sea, it gets rusty. They took everything from inside the shed.

“I can’t imagine how he would have felt.

“He had rare planks of wood stacked up, if he needed them for his boat, now they have gone.”

Mr Carey said the way the clear up was carried out, and how much stuff was taken, including items handed down from his father and grandfather, was unfair.

Tendring Council said the clear-up cost £5,500 – a bill will be sent to the homeowner.

Nigel Brown, Tendring Council’s communications manager, said the owner of the property was given every possible opportunity to remove any items before the council’s contractors carried out the clearance.

He added: “He was made aware that we would be carrying out this work in June which gave him nearly six months to retrieve anything he wanted to keep.

“On the very day of the operation, he asked for three generators to be put aside, which was sorted out for him.”

“If there are any issues, we would ask the homeowner to contact us in writing and we will investigate for him.”