A Carshalton pensioner is kicking up a stink over the unsavoury smell caused by his neighbour's persistent hoarding of rubbish inside her home.

George Foster, 64, of The Green, Carshalton, said his neighbour Pat King's house is full of litter collected from the streets and even reaches the ceiling of her living room.

The pensioner, who lives alone, said the smell was affecting his health and making living there like "living by a rubbish tip."

He said: "She goes out collecting rubbish every night and puts it in her house.

"All the rooms are full of it and it's getting worse now the hot weather is here.

"The stench is unbearable and I have to shut my windows to keep it out.

"It's a fire hazard too. The fire brigade came over once to fit a smoke alarm in her house and told me it was dangerous," he said.

Mr Foster's doctor has written to <a href="http://http://www.sutton.gov.uk" target="_blank">Sutton Council</a> stating Miss King's behaviour is a health hazard to the 64 year old, who is diabetic and has undergone a triple heart by-pass.

Despite several attempts to contact Ms King, she was unavailable for comment.

The council is aware of the problem and two years ago, shortly after Mr Foster moved in, removed a large quantity of rubbish from her home after obtaining a special court order.

It is understood Ms King was moved to her cottage from another council property after similar complaints.

And she was put in her present home, where Mr Foster is the only neighbour, because her behaviour would have less of an impact on her surroundings.

But several complaints have been received by the council, and not all from Mr Foster.

The first official complaint came from a shop opposite Miss King's house in June 2001.

A council spokesman described her as a "hoarder", who is known to collect items from outside charity shops and other inert rubbish.

He added: "Despite past incidents of odours coming from the house mainly caused by abandoned milk cartons Miss King's home is currently not deemed by <a href="http://www.sutton.gov.uk" target="_blank">Sutton Council</a> environmental health officers to be likely to cause injury to health."

He said various council departments, including social services, were trying to resolve the situation and Mr Foster was this week invited to make a formal statement to housing officers about the problem.

July 12, 2002 09:30