A PENSIONER who hasn’t left his home in seven years has called for action over an overgrown section of land behind his property which he claims is filled with rats.

Keith Mattravers, of Capel Newydd Avenue, Blaenavon, described the area – which has parts maintained privately and by housing firm Bron Afon – as being like a “jungle”, with plants growing into his garden.

The 76-year-old, who worked in the mining industry, used to maintain the land himself but the complications of a chronic heart condition and Arthritis now make this impossible, he said.

“The gardens here are a disgrace. I used to do them myself but I can’t do it now. I don’t see why I should have to put up with it down there,” he said.

“It’s all growing through the fence onto my property. Someone came there three months ago and cut it all down but didn’t put weed killer and left it as it is.

“I have chronic ill health and it is a bit of a cheek to expect me to do it when I have done it for years."

Mr Mattravers believed that Torfaen County Borough Council were responsible for the area but parts of it are actually maintained by Bron Afon and other private landowners.

He added: “It’s like a jungle and wild. I put a wall across there in 1965 and the weeds are still growing through it”.

Mr Mattravers also suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and medication makes him “too giddy to walk around”.

He explained that he hasn’t been out of his house in seven years – excluding hospital appointments – but in recent years, fell and damaged a tendon on the back of his neck.

Community Manager at Bron Afon, Claire Dullea, said: “The area that the resident is describing as overgrown is only part owned by Bron Afon.

“We’ve previously cleared and treated the piece that is owned by us, but we have no influence over the residents who own their homes on the estate.

“We’re looking at our options for clearly this year’s weed growth on our land but sadly this is a recurring problem over which we only have partial control.”