A man has been slapped with a fine after he was ordered to clear up his messy and overgrown garden but failed to meet the deadline to complete the work. Homeowner Richard Marklew, from Wigan, has annoyed his neighbours by allowing his garden to become seriously overgrown.
The 55-year-old was ordered to cut back the plants in the front and rear garden at his home in Shevington by Wigan Council after neighbours on his street complained about how the eyesore property was affecting the value of their own homes. He was told he needed to cut back the vegetation by January 14, StokeonTrentLive reports.
He was told he needed to get rid of the ivy from the bricks and the roof, replace the guttering, clean and paint the door of the porch, repaint the window frames and cut back the overgrown plants in the gardens. But Marklew did not comply with the council's orders and was hauled in front of the courts earlier this week.
Appearing before borough magistrates' court, Marklew pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the notice and was fined £700. He was also ordered to pay court costs and a victim services surcharge, meaning his total bill to pay was £1,402.
Frustrated residents told The Sun Online that some neighbours had moved away from the area because they were so fed up with the mess in Marklew's garden, while others still living there fear the value of their homes will plunge. Gary Northall, 61, who lives next door, told The Sun his neighbour's property was an "eyesore".
He added: "The ivy is coming through the roof tiles and into the attic of our house. I’ve tried talking to him about the state of his garden but he just doesn’t seem interested. I also contacted the council year’s ago but now it’s come to this. I am hoping he’ll now take some action, but I can’t see it happening.”
