A BOLTON man has made an appeal to Bolton Council to repair his damp-ridden flat which he claims is unfit to be lived in.

David Walsh, 27, of Dunoon Drive, Astley Bridge, says that the walls of his home are in urgent need of plastering.

And in spite of previous repairs, water is still leaking from a flat upstairs. The interior of David's downstairs property has been turned black by the moisture.

He said: "The flat needs a damp course urgently, the rooms are so cold and damp. I pay my rent but the council are not prepared to do anything.

"There is greenmould everywhere, even on clothes and shoes.

"The council have had the keys to the flat for months. I keep complaining but nothing has been done.

"I considered moving but have now decided against it."

To make things worse, David said a rat and mice had been in the kitchen recently. It is thought that they got in from an open field nearby.

And he found little white insects on food in a cupboard.

David said he had planned to move but had now changed his mind following council assurances that the repairs would be done.

But he has been forced to strip wallpaper because of the dampness which he says has also ruined the carpets in his flat.

A council spokesman said that a workman had visited the property and was unable to carry out repairs because the damage was more extensive than originally thought.

The work is set to be carried out in the next few weeks.

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