Before and after: Makeshift dump FINALLY cleared after nightmare neighbour evicted

Video (click to play above) shows the dramatic transformation after a makeshift rubbish tip was FINALLY removed, after the nightmare tenant got evicted. Residents had complained their lives had been made a misery by the mountain of junk piled up outside the property, which can be seen in the footage above.

Families said the festering eyesore had been making their children ill and attracting rats which were invading neighbours homes on Peach Avenue, in Stafford. Last week, tenant Steven Glover was booted out of the rented property after Stafford Borough Council was granted an official closure order.

Shocking video had shown piles of debris were stacked up on the driveway - including rubble, sofas, mattresses, wooden panels, fridges and carpets.

But photos taken yesterday (Wed) show how the property is now boarded up with all the rubbish finally removed.

Huge pile of rubbish removed

And following a row with the local council which stretched over 14 months, the semi-detached home has finally been cleared of waste. Neighbours said it took council officials four trips over the space of a week to remove the huge pile from the driveway and front garden.

But they are still angry it took so long for the local authority to take action following months of complaints from residents.

‘I’m still very cross at the council’

One mum-of-two, who did not wish to be named, said: "It's more a sense of relief but I'm still very cross at the council. It's the fact it has taken this long and they've repeatedly ignored our complaints for months on end. You can't change the fact we've been living with rats for so long or that kids were falling ill. It should never have taken this long.

The resident said it took about three or four days to get it all gone, and pest control come out to lay 20 rat blocks down - poison blocks which upto ten rats at a time will take.

‘A rat jumped out at him’

"It just shows as soon as they get some negative publicity, they can act, and act quickly.”

She says it has been an ‘absolute nightmare’ and is worried it could have a ‘long term impact’. She added: “When one of the council men opened one of the bins, he had a rat jump out at him.”

Repeated complaints

Another local added: "Everyone is glad this nightmare looks finally to be over. It should never have been allowed to get to this point though.

"We've repeatedly complained but nothing was done for months on end. It's disgusting that it took so long. The council's reputation has undoubtedly been damaged by their reluctance to deal with this matter, especially so close to a primary school too.

"The fire brigade have been called out numerous times to deal with fires there, so its been a stretch on public resources too.

"It's taken a year to get anything done and it was all sorted in a week. It's frustrating as it just shows how quickly it could have been dealt with in the first place."

Closure order on eyesore house

Councillor Ian Fordham, cabinet member for environment, said: "I hope this brings an end to the misery this person has brought to the residents of Peach Avenue.

"It was crucial that we had the proper legal process in place to not only get this unsightly mess removed, but to ensure it did not happen on this land again.

“We secured a Closure Order from the courts that bans anyone, including the tenant, from stepping foot on the property. If they do they can be arrested.

Boarded up house

"We have boarded up the house and had this significant amount of rubbish removed - and we will be billing the tenant or owner for the cost of doing that.

“We will be working with the owner to make sure the house can be brought back into use and become a positive addition to the street.”

He added: “Thank you to the police and other partners for their help in making sure we get the right outcome for the neighbours and we will work with residents to address any ongoing concerns they may have.”