Hoarder wins right to keep untidy mess in garden

A Surrey man who is hoarding tonnes of rubbish in his garden has won the legal right to keep it there.

Mole Valley District Council ordered Richard Wallace to clear up the mess at his home in the village of Westcott near Dorking.

But the 59-year-old successfully appealed at the crown court, claiming an "Englishman's home is his castle".


Photo from here. With more photos.

The council said it was "disappointed" by the court's decision and was considering its next steps.

Mr Wallace's back garden is strewn with old cars, household waste, building materials and front doors.

He said: "I tend to hoard things because I want to retain some of them and they need to go somewhere. The house has got slightly overloaded and it tends to spill outside."

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