RETIRED engineer Jack Eckersley says he is cracking up because his crumbling house has been ignored by Bolton Council for FIVE years.

Mr Eckersley, aged 68, has lived at his Singleton Avenue, Breightmet home for more than 40 years.

He claims he reported subsidence at the council house in March 1992 and was assured the matter had been placed in the hands of civil engineering experts.

But 12 months later he got fed up of waiting and contacted Bolton Council only to be told that the work, which would cost over £7,500, would be delayed because of a lack of local government cash.

Mr Eckersley, a former engineer at Horwich Loco Works, says large cracks are now appearing all over his house - and he is still paying full rent.

He explained: "For all they know the house could be ready to fall down and be very dangerous. They just don't seem to care."

Mr Eckerlsey's problem was originally diagnosed five years ago after he complained that the internal doors in his house would not close properly.

Deputy director of housing Mr Serwent Singh said that Mr Eckersley will have to wait another two years before work on his house is to go ahead.

He said: "We have had this complaint going back on our records for a number of years but until it is put on our programme then it will not be dealt with.

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