Family’s lives ‘a living hell’ after builders dump 30ft ‘mud mountain’ at end of garden

They say their lives have been made ‘hell’ by developers who left a 30ft-high mud mountain at the bottom of their garden (Picture: Andrew Allen / SWNS)

A furious family are sick of a festering pile of dirt and mud towering over their house.

Andrew and Sharon Allen from Irchester, Northamptonshire, say their lives have become ‘a misery’ after developers left a 30ft-high mud mountain at the end of their garden.

The couple, who work for the NHS, live just yards away from a planned 70-house estate, and the dirt mound appeared after development started in June this year.

Sharon, 45, was even rushed to A&E earlier this month after suffering from breathing problems she claims were caused by inhaling dust from the site.

Their 20-year-old son also suffered from severe asthma attacks in the summer, and they were left unable to enjoy their garden or even open their windows.

Andrew, 48, a paramedic, said the experience had been ‘a living hell’.

‘Since June the mud pile just got bigger and bigger.

‘The prevailing wind blows the dust into our property 20 per cent of the time.

Since development on a new housing estate started in June, builders have piled up rubble and mud which now towers over their property (Picture: SWNS)

‘In July my son, who suffers from asthma, had a really bad attack.

‘He went back to university early in August to escape the dust.

‘You can feel it in your eyes and in your mouth. It’s like being sandblasted on a beach.

‘When my wife was rushed into hospital, the doctor said it was most likely a response to the dust.’

The family are demanding urgent action from Mulberry Property Developments Ltd who are building the new estate.

Last month, North Northamptonshire Council slapped the company with a notice after ruling there was a ‘dust nuisance’ coming from the site.

The firm claim the piling up of rubble and mud was temporary issue and would be removed in due course.

Andrew, who has three children, added: ‘We’re not the only ones affected by the dust.

‘On this street there are five other houses, and they all suffer the same.

‘We are unable to enjoy our outside space which is detrimental to our mental health.

‘On the days where the air quality is really bad, which is often, there is no reprieve in the house either, the atmosphere is heavy and thick, you can taste the dust in the air.’

Locals have said the pile of dirt is not only an eyesore but has been causing them breathing problems and has sent at least one resident to A&E (Picture: SWNS)

The dust from the pile is so bad that residents were unable to even open the windows during the summer (Picture: Andrew Allen / SWNS)

Their neighbours, Larry Poole, 77, and his wife Julie-Anne, 63, say they have also been badly affected by dust from the building site.

Larry, a retired carpet fitter who suffers with COPD, said: ‘Back in the summer we wrote to the site manager about the gritty sandy dust flying about in the air.

‘We can’t sit out in our garden either, it gets onto the windows and into the plastic window frames.

‘I also have COPD and it means I can’t sit out in the garden. My wife has also got a very low immune system. It’s not very healthy for us to be in contact with all this dust.

Chris Russell, construction director at Mulberry Homes, said: ‘We are working with the local planning and environmental health teams to mitigate the dust on site to best practice, and are removing the spoil heap whilst being mindful of increased traffic.

‘We understand residents’ concerns and remain grateful to them and the wider community for their patience.’

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