Car abandoned on neighbour's front garden for A YEAR

Chris Shephard is fed up of having the eyesore on his lawn but all attempts to contact its rightful owner have hit dead ends.

After his neighbour died last spring, the neighbour's son - who owns the vehicle - promised Chris it would only be there temporarily, then disappeared without a trace.

Chris said: "After my neighbour died, they moved the car from the front of that house to outside mine. I went out for Sunday lunch and it was in the garden when I came back.

"The son told me they had found a buyer for it who would pick it up in a few days - but no-one ever arrived.

"I've not heard from the owner since then and whenever I try to get in touch with him through his relatives, they say they either don't know where he is, don't want to know or don't want to talk to me."

The diesel 4x4 with a 1993/94 registration plate has fallen into disrepair over the last 12-plus months and caused headaches for Chris during his day to day routine.

He added: "It's very annoying because it's an ugly sight and it's always in the way. It blocks access to my back garden, I can't put my wheelie bins there any more, and I can't cut the grass under the car.

"I've got scaffolders coming to do work on the house and having that there will be a problem for them.

"My old neighbour's family emptied the Trooper of all the tools which were stored inside and locked it up. Now it's just falling apart, the tyres have deflated and the bodywork's rusted.

"It would take an awful lot to fix it, which might be why the buyer never went through with the purchase.

"I've had several scrap people express an interest in it, but I need the vehicle's documents to let them have it.

"The land is council-owned so I've been trying to get the council to move it but nothing's happened so far, which is disappointing."

A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said: “We are aware of the car and are actively working with our tenant to get it removed as quickly as possible.”