A TENANT whose flat became infested by maggots from a neighbour's dead body has accused landlords of ignoring her pleas to move.

The maggots got into Samantha Taylor's home of 11 years after her neighbour's body lay undiscovered for more than two weeks in the flat above her at Southern House in Peterhead Close, Halliwell.

Miss Taylor, a support worker for the Lifeways community care group, has been haunted with thoughts of the death and the smell of the flat since the body was discovered on September 28 and says she cannot move back into the building even though its been cleaned.

Despite appealing for help – including getting the backing of her doctor – the 29-year-old says the landlord, Bolton at Home, has refused to help her find alternative accommodation. She said: "It was infested with maggots; they were in the bedroom, living room and kitchen.

"I suffer from bipolar and from the trauma of everything that's happened I've been having nightmares. I find it hard enough contemplating going near the flat, let alone in inside. If I go back all I'll think of is the body lying above me and the maggots dropping through. The flat was my bubble, my safe place but now that bubble has been popped and I have no where safe to go."

Miss Taylor first reported a strange smell on Friday, September 11, to Bolton at Home. However, she left for two weeks holiday the following day and the problem went unanswered until she arrived home on Saturday, September 26, to find her house infested with maggots.

She contacted her landlords once again and was forced to find a temporary place to stay until the problem was addressed.

Bolton at Home attended the building the following Monday and discovered her neighbour in the flat above 40-year-old Michael Geoffrey Woods had died.

A spokesman for Bolton at Home said they visited Miss Taylor's property on September 11 and were unable to gain access.

He added: “A further report was made and investigated and this is when we discovered that another tenant in the upstairs flat had sadly passed away. We have been liaising with the coroner and police to trace the man’s next of kin.

"We have cleaned and decontaminated the upstairs property and have offered our tenant alternative accommodation while arrangements are made to clean her property. We continue to speak with her to address any concerns.”

Police confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

* The family's next of kin has since been traced.