Hoarder's victory puts him in media spotlight

From fixing TVs to appearing on them, Westcott's hoarder got a taste of international fame this week.

Richard Wallace, 59, of numbers 4 and 8 Furlong Road, has been appearing on the pages of the Dorking Advertiser for months.

The coverage came after he fought – and beat – a Mole Valley District Council order asking him to clear piles of rubbish surrounding his house.

But this week the issue spilled spectacularly into the wider public arena with TV, radio and hordes of journalists descending on the usually quiet village.

Mr Wallace said: "I have been interviewed by Sky News, the BBC, GMTV – there was even a crew for RTL, which is a German TV company.

"Reporters from the Sun and the Mail have been here – one even told me it would go global.

"Apart from the Advertiser no one has ever really written anything about me before, so it was quite daunting to suddenly have a Sky News helicopter hovering over my house.

"Some people have joked about asking for my autograph – I think I am going to have to put a bag over my head."

Charles Webb, 45, who has lived in Westcott his whole life, said: "As long as I can remember the garden has been like that – it is funny that the national media have just picked it up now.

"I think if it suddenly went people would be really shocked as they are so used to it."

Mike Wood, of Furlong Road, said: "It was very exciting, but whether it will do any good I don't know."

Cllr James Friend (Westcott, Con), who has long been campaigning to get the village cleaned up, was pleased with the media coverage. He said: "It has struck me as reasonably balanced. It has been a bit of a novelty for the village – it is unusual to wake up at 6am and have an ITV van parked outside your house.

"It does seem that Mr Wallace has seemed to give some undertaking to clear his land and once the cameras have gone I will be continuing to monitor that."

Mr Wallace has hinted at there being more pressure to clean up his property.

He said: "I am intending to sort it out and there is certainly more of an impetus now I have said it on the record."

Councillor Chris Hunt, portfolio holder for strategic planning for Mole Valley District Council said: "I thought the media was very fair. They have put both sides of the case across and then asked for views from the public.

"I think it has raised quite a big question of what is an Englishman entitled to do in his castle. The council has been trying to stand up for other residents, but we are pleased Mr Wallace has said that he wants to clear it up and council officers will be keen to formalise that.