A PENSIONER will be evicted from her home of more than 60 years because her hoarded treasures have been branded a fire hazard.

Following more than three years of dispute it has been confirmed today, Thursday, that landlord Weaver Vale Housing Trust is going to kick 87-year-old May Appleton out of her home in Lostock Gralam.

Trust staff visited May and her sons Brian, 61, Mark, 51, and Paul, 49, to tell them that bailiffs will take possession of the Langford Road house and the family's belongings will be put into storage.

These items include valuable dolls, Star Wars and Action Man toys, autographs from Hollywood stars of the 1930s and a card sent to May's parents by the Queen Mother to thank them for looking after evacuees during the Second World War.

Brian said: "Mum's breaking her heart."

Steve Jennings, chief executive of Weaver Vale Housing Trust, said: "We have worked with Mrs Appleton and her sons for over three years in an attempt to reduce the volume of hoarded items in the house.

"This has included close partnership working with amongst others, Cheshire Fire Service, Cheshire West and Chester Adult Care, and the local church.

"Despite our combined efforts we have been unable to engage the family and they have consistently refused to reduce the volume of hoarded items, in order to reduce the fire risk to both themselves and their neighbours, but also any fire personnel that enter the home.

"As a social landlord we have exhausted all options open to us and are now left with no choice but to act on the order made by Chester County Court and take possession of the property. "This is not an option we ever take lightly.

"In these circumstances our objective has always been to reduce the fire risk to the family by reducing the hoarded items.

"But despite our very best efforts we have been unable to persuade Mrs Appleton and her sons to work with us and therefore we are left with no other choice but to take possession of the property and place the hoarded items into storage."

A date has not yet been set for the eviction.