Man who uses his car ‘like a shed’ to hoard junk refuses council demands to remove it after neighbours disgusted by it

A MAN who uses his parked car “like shed” to hoard junk is refusing council demands to move it.

Kevin Maggs insists the vehicle is on private land but neighbours are disgusted by the bizarre collection of items.

Kevin with his car, which is stuffed full of junk

Terry HarrisThe 58-year-old insists some of the items are worth £1000[/caption]

The unmarried 58-year-old’s care is piled high with valve amplifiers, record turntables, transformers, cables, saws and other tools, light bulbs, pictures, brass ladles, ornaments, pictures and cases.

Kevin, a former supply teacher and engineer, from Loughborough, Leicestershire, proudly showed off the collection to The Sun Online and admitted: “I’m a bit of a hoarder but it’s not a crime.”

“As you get older you are more inclined to keep more,” he said.

“It’s not doing anyone any harm. I am planning to sell the pieces, some of them are worth quite a bit, but I’ve not been able to get rid of them yet because of the Covid lockdown.”

Kevin insisted his car is “full of mainly electrical stuff” that’s “not doing anyone any harm”.

“It’s not rubbish, some of it’s antique and vintage and I’m not just throwing it away. Some of the valves would fetch £1,000.”

Kevin, who has lived alone at the 1930’s semi in a quiet leafy street for 34 years, said: “I use the car like a shed on my front drive. I have a shed in the back garden but that’s full to brimming.

“I don’t use the car, it’s off the road with a flat tyre and flat battery, but it’s useful for storing all my stuff.

“It’s a private vehicle on private land and I can store what I want in it. People possibly think I’m a bit weird.”

Kevin, who survives he winter without any heating and doesn’t have a TV or a fridge, spends his days reading and pottering around his jam-packed with possessions home.

He was first visited by a council street warden in July and was told he needed to clear some rubbish and scrap metal which had built up on his driveway. 

‘POSSIBLY A BIT WEIRD’

Charnwood Borough Council say he can keep the filled motor – which some neighbours brand an “eyesore” – if he covers it with tarpaulin.

“It’s not vermin infested in any way or stored with rubbish. The council doesn’t have the right to interfere with my private car parked on my own land.”

Kevin, who retired early after suffering from a stroke 15 years ago and has a problem back, said: “I just want them to leave me alone, but I don’t think they will.

“They will use the law to try and bully me into getting rid of the car.

“My neighbours aren’t complaining but I think the landlord of the rented house next door has complained.”

One neighbour said: “It’s an eye-sore. A car is for driving from A-B not storing a load of unsightly junk.”

A Charnwood Borough Council spokesperson said an investigation was ongoing into a complaint made by Kevin about its demands.

“This is an ongoing investigation following a complaint about a build-up of waste at the property,” said a spokesperson.

Terry HarrisKevin’s neighbours have complained about the car[/caption]

Terry HarrisSome of the items that are stored in his car[/caption]

Terry HarrisThe retired teacher and engineer was told to put a tarpaulin over the car[/caption]