Wednesday, April 24, 2024
NewsPensioner, 79, suffered neighbours' poo flooding his garden for 12 days after...

Pensioner, 79, suffered neighbours’ poo flooding his garden for 12 days after “works bungle”

A PENSIONER’S garden was flooded with his neighbours’ poo every day for 12 days following a catastrophic council bungle.

Alexander Holmes, 79, gave Fife Council permission to enter his back garden in Glenrothes to investigate blocked drains elsewhere in the street.

But the work was botched, resulting in the contents of his neighbours’ toilets gurgling out of the ground and across his lawn daily.

To make matters even worse, the council and Scottish Water are now arguing about who should pay the considerable bill to put the situation right.

Alexander’s daughter, Suzanne, got so angry she threatened to scoop up the poop and deposit it outside the headquarters of the two organisations.

She posted graphic pictures to Facebook last week, complaining: “So for last 11 days my poor dad has had s*** and waste coming into his garden following Fife Council and Scottish Water working on drains.

Neighbours poo flooded the garden every day for 12 days.

“I’ve been asking, in fact I would go as far as to say begging, them to get it cleared, but neither one of them will take responsibility.

“So they have been warned this morning that if it’s still there when I go up Saturday then I will lift it and deposit it at the main and staff entrances of their buildings at the town.

“Don’t care anymore if they get me charged. Bring it bloody on! His garden isn’t a show home garden but at 79-years-old he doesn’t deserve to be looking at this every day.”

Photos of the the mess show the sewage stain Alexander’s garden in a grey sludge spreading out across his lawn.

A closer inspection identifies a number of human faeces clumped near the exit point of the leak with what appears to be used toilet paper surrounding it.

Another photo shows how Alexander’s well kept garden used to look like before the mess.

Alexander Holmes, 79, gave permission for Fife Council to investigate blocked drains but the work was botched.

The disgusting photos have outraged many people on social media.

Dawn Cowan said: “Absolutely shocking. Total health hazard make sure dad stays indoors as very vulnerable at his age.”

Karyn Flett added: “Disgusting stuff and disgusting service you’ve had with the companies passing the buck!”

Kathleen McHugh Thomson wrote: “Do not apologise for caring how this s*** pouring into your Father’s own wee space makes him feel. They should be named and shamed.”

A shocked Joanne Nimmo MacBride said: “Actual human waste?”

Alexander’s daughter Suzanne today said that she was outraged by the lack of information and action.

She said: “Fife Council and Scottish Water are blaming each other and are refusing to take responsibility. They haven’t told us anything about when this is all going to be fixed.

Alexander’s well kept garden before the mess.

“I emailed both the Chief Executive of Fife Council and Scottish Water and all I have had in response is a generic response saying your complaint has been logged.”

Suzanne intends to seek compensation for the neglect and demands to see plans of any redevelopments to her father’s garden.

She added: “Fife Council dug a five foot trench as a temporary fix, but the workmen said that there was a substantial bit of work to be done to fix this. It looks like they will have to take the six foot fence down and the trees at the back.

“I want to see a full plan of work of how they are going to fix this and I want my dad’s garden to be put back as normal.”

Suzanne continued: “He [Alexander] thought he was doing the right thing for his community. He opened his bedroom curtains and that’s what he was faced with every morning. You wouldn’t leave an animal in conditions like this.”

Related Stories