Hoarder dies three months after being evicted from her home of 60 years because it was deemed a fire risk

A PENSIONER who was kicked out of her home of more than 60 years because her life-long collection of dolls and trinkets was branded a fire risk, has died.

Housing bosses in Cheshire evicted May Appleton from her semi-detached property following a stand off with baliffs in March because it was stacked full of thousands of toys, photographs and ornaments.

According to , last night the 87-year-old's sons said the housing organisation behind it, Weaver Vale Housing Trust, had "blood on their hands" after she died in hospital overnight.

The family claimed a judge had already ordered that their mum could return to her home in Lostock Gralam, near Northwich, but housing chiefs had been "dragging their heels" over allowing the family back in.

Eldest son Brian, 61, told the website: "Weaver Vale ought to be ashamed of themselves, they have my mother's blood on their hands.

"She was 87-years-old and had lived in that house for 60 years – she should never have been moved. I blame them for her death.
"They effectively signed her death warrant by forcing her out at her age. Beforehand she was old, but not unwell.

"However, the last three months took a terrible toll on her health. We're all devastated that she has gone."

Weaver Vale claimed they had spent the previous three years trying to persuade the widow, who lived in the property for 61 years, to get rid of some of her possessions.

But Mrs Appleton, who lived with her sons Brian, Mark, 51, and Paul, 49, refused.

Each room of the home is full of hundreds of dolls, teddy bears, toys, newspapers, magazines and photographs.

On the walls hang dozens of ornamental mugs and plates, while her collection also includes Star Wars and Action Man toys, autographs from Hollywood stars of the 1930s and a card sent to May's parents by the Queen Mother to thank them for looking after evacuees during the Second World War.

As a result the family was evicted and Weaver Vale paid for them to stay in a nearby Travelodge hotel while the courts decided whether the family could return.

Tragically just three weeks ago a judge ruled that the property should be handed back to Mrs Appleton.

But following the decision Weaver Vale stalled the move - claiming it needed to tidy up the house and repair electrics before she could get back in.

It is in those three short weeks that her sons say she fell ill.

According to MailOnline Mrs Appleton, whose husband Bill died 12 years ago leaving her widowed, collapsed in her hotel bedroom on June 15 and was rushed to hospital in Crewe where she was diagnosed with blood poisoning or septicaemia.

She died at around 4am on Wednesday morning.

Son Mark, 51, said: "My mother suffered weeks of heartache which could all have been avoided.

"She spent the last three months of her life in a Travelodge when she should have been at home.

"They moved her out and sent her to her death. She had a routine at home, she knew where everything was – her home and possessions were her life.

"To suddenly be ripped out and told you might never go back would have been bad enough for a younger person, but for someone of that age – she just lost the will to live."

The brothers claim they could now be made homeless because the tenancy is in their mother’s name and their hotel is only booked until June 29.

Mark added: “My brothers and I lived in that house all our lives, we've been involved in our community and the local church, never drunk, never smoked and never committed any crimes, yet we are treated like the 'most wanted' in Britain.

“We've always been good citizens, yet we've been treated like scum just because we have a lot of things.”

Mrs Appleton had previously told the website: "Losing my things would kill me."

Responding to the news of the widow's death and her son's claims, Steve Jennings, chief executive of Weaver Vale Housing Trust, said: "We are extremely saddened to hear of the death of May Appleton at Leighton Hospital.

"Over the past three years we, along with concerned partners from a number of other agencies, attempted to work with Mrs Appleton and her sons to make the property safe for the family to live in following Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service determining that the house was a fire hazard.

"Sadly, we were unable to reach an agreement with the family that would allow us to clear the fire risk and make the house safe for those living in the property, neighbours and others visiting the home.

"Our aim throughout was to allow Mrs Appleton to return home as soon as the property was deemed safe. We continually sought to work with the family to make this possible.

"In recent months progressing this outcome to a mutually satisfactory conclusion has been with The Court of Protection with both ourselves and Cheshire West and Chester Council been acting upon the directions of the presiding Judge."

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