A MENTALLY ill man with physical ailments has been threatened with eviction by the council unless he tidies up his garden.

Scott Loveday, of Mornington Road, Loughton, who is on disability benefits, and has to see a psychiatrist, has now received three threatening letters from the council about the state of his overgrown garden.

He said: “That garden has been like that for five years coming on six. There's all sorts of creatures in it: birds, a family of six foxes with four cubs. They love it and it's no harm to anyone. It's a beautiful place, it should be left.

“I've lived here since 2001. They cut it back when I moved in and then left it. I've found no use for the garden, I don't bother with it, it's beautiful as it is.”

Mr Loveday received a letter from Epping Forest District Council's housing department in May this year asking him to trim his garden back and adding: “the council has no provision to carry out garden work on behalf of residents.”

A further letter in June warns: “If you have made no attempt to clear the garden you will leave me no alternative but to serve you with a Notice of Seeking Possession for breach of your tenancy conditions.”

Mr Loveday wrote back to the council explaining he had no family to help him and was mentally and physically ill, but a response from officers reiterated it was up to tenants to sort out the condition of their gardens.

He said: “I don't want to be evicted but the thing is they're going to come in and destroy the foxes and the birds' homes and a lot of other creatures in there.

“It does no-one no harm. No-one's complained about the garden and no-one seems to mind.”

A spokesman for the district council said: “Our tenants have a responsibility to keep their homes, including their gardens in a good condition. As landlord, it is our duty to ensure they do.

“If a tenant is having problems with the maintenance of their garden and this is causing a nuisance to neighbouring properties we would work with the tenant in order to resolve the problem.”