Terminally ill man laments skip collection delay

The skip has been outside the family's home since August

A man with a terminal illness has described a skip left in his front garden for eight months as "an absolute nightmare".

Tony and Victoria Ford, from Wickford, hired the skip in August to dispose of household furniture but like other customers of Bobs Skips have been unable to get the firm to collect it.

Mr Ford, who has an untreatable cancer, said the aggravation had caused him to break down into tears.

Essex Highways said the business had been taken over by Pryme Skip and Waste Management, which has been approached for comment.

The company has entered liquidation, according to the highways authority.

Companies House records do not currently show the business as being in liquidation, but an application to dissolve the company was made last week.

Both Bobs Skips and its predecessor were based in Harvey Road, Basildon, where the Environment Agency confirmed it suspended a permit to manage waste while officers investigated a potential breach.

Tony Ford said the stress of the uncollected skip had caused him to break down in tears

Mr Ford has been battling a few different types of cancer for 19 years and it has now progressed into his bones.

He said: "I couldn't put it into words how much stress [it has caused]. I've nearly had breakdowns... I've broken down in tears."

His wife added: "You open the front door and it's there. It's on the drive."

The couple are concerned it will attract vermin and is an eyesore to nurses and doctors that visit the house.

Two months ago the couple asked Bobs Skips to collect it and were told it would be picked up in days, but that never happened.

Meanwhile, Gemma Allen has told the BBC how a skip left at her home is disrupting plans for a wedding party she is hosting.

Kerry Hawkins in Basildon, who uses a mobility scooter, says she cannot leave her house because of the obstruction.

The couple are worried the skip could attract vermin

The Environment Agency confirmed the firm's licence to carry waste remained active.

It is not known where any collected skips are being taken while its permit to manage waste in Harvey Road is suspended.

Essex Highways said it was working closely with the company to "support their efforts to remove their skips as they prioritise those on residents' driveways".

It added: "As the highway authority, we can only remove skips on the highway which pose a significant safety risk.

"We encourage residents to report dangerous skips that are on the highway to us."

Additional reporting by Elliot Deady.