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Homeowner from Swift Crescent, Walderslade, removes path on mhs homes land

A house-proud grandad has begun the process of tearing up a path he's built on an "eyesore" next to his home.

As reported last month, Mick Hungerford set to work after becoming fed up with the state of the land.

Mick Hungerford has begun the process of tearing up the path next to his Walderslade home
Mick Hungerford has begun the process of tearing up the path next to his Walderslade home

Spending about £300, the delivery driver laid the paved walkway adjacent to his property in Swift Crescent, Walderslade.

However, housing association mhs homes, which owns the piece of ground, soon got in touch to say he needed to remove the work by today.

Speaking this morning, Mick said he'd received a lot of support but didn't want to fight as he'd end up incurring more costs.

He said: "I didn't want them fining me and it becoming a prolonged battle. I just don't need the aggravation over a path.

"I have fully admitted the land wasn't mine, but I thought I was doing something good and I am still a bit gobsmacked by their reaction.

Paved pathway alongside the house
Paved pathway alongside the house

"I have had some support from locals with some saying they were disgusted how I have been treated."

Mick had decided to clear up the land as part of a massive refurbishment of his end-of-terrace home which has so far cost £65,000.

The night shift worker added: "The weeds had grown waist high and there was a tree that had grown in the corner.

"It had become a dumping ground with dog excrement and old road signs there.

"We could not have the windows open because of the smell and we could not get to our windows outside to clean them."

Mick Hungerford on the paved pathway
Mick Hungerford on the paved pathway

He hopes to complete the job of removing the slabs, cement and sand by the end of next week.

He said: "It's just of those things, I'm peed off but what can you do? I really didn't see a problem with it, but now it's going to start looking like a real mess again. I will just leave it, I am not going to get involved."

Mick feels the situation is symbolic of a wider issue of people being happy to see areas become rundown and rubbish-strewn.

He said: "As a driver, I go all over the place and see how bad it is. You drive over the Dartford Crossing and there's signs saying 'Welcome to the Garden of England' and you think to yourself really?

"People don't seem to give a monkey's hell anymore, it's very sad."

Mick Hungerford alongside waist-high weeds last summer
Mick Hungerford alongside waist-high weeds last summer

He added that the stretch between the M2 and A249 for Sittingbourne was particularly bad.

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