Neighbours living by an abandoned property which was so overgrown that children dubbed it ‘the monster house’ are breathing a sigh of relief after it was finally given a makeover.
The ECHO reported recently how the house on Alfred Street, Widnes, had become so overrun with ivy, bushes and trees since its owner moved out four years ago that it had become a local tourist attraction, with people heading there to take selfies outside.
Paul Miller, who lives next door to the property, compared the sight to something from The Day of the Triffids – an iconic sci-fi novel where the Earth was invaded by carnivorous giant plants.
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But following the story, Mr Miller said gardeners had been in to clean everything up, removing the ivy and shrubs. He said he received a letter from Widnes MP Derek Twigg saying the council had asked the house’s owner to tidy the property up, or face potential further action.
Mr Miller said: “It only took them about six hours to tear it all down.
“This is the first time I’ve actually seen the house in about five years, I just hope someone moves in there now, because it’s a nice little house.
“The street looks very different now.”
Jade Edge, 23, who lives on the other side of the property, said she was relived to see the back of the ivy.
She said: “It’s so much better. We’d been waiting to move in for a year and during that time over lockdown it got so much worse.
“The whole street looks so much nicer now.”
The property’s owner Jeff Duggan told the LDRS he had the work done and said he was still undecided on future plans for the property.
