A pensioner has slammed her local council after claiming scaffolding that left her in darkness for six months destroyed her garden.
Pat Phillips, 86, said her beloved garden was left looking like a ‘bombsite’ after workers put the scaffolding up to make repairs to the roofs of bungalows on her street in Slough.
Contractors Cardo and Slough Borough Council put up the temporary frame after they discovered the poor condition and decided to provide new insulation.
Residents were told the scaffolding would be up for a minimum of 12 to 14 weeks while work was carried out on the council owned bungalows.
But it was only three weeks ago that the scaffolding, which left elderly Ms Phillips and her neighbours without any daylight for six months, was taken down.
However to her horror, Ms Phillips’ garden which she had laboured over for a number of years, had been destroyed as ‘everything just died’ due to lack of light.
She told : ‘Everything just died. I never had much money from my pension to spend on it but I would do things economically.
‘I think it would take Charlie Dimmock to come along and do a miracle on it now. It’s going to take more time than I’ve got left in my life to get it back to the way it was.’
The backyard once boasted a cherry blossom tree, several blooming flowers and several hanging baskets – and was praised as one of the best on the street.
But now her garden, which was previously flooded with beautiful greenery is now littered with dead plants.
There has been no confirmation whether Slough Borough Council will reinstate the gardens, replant and pay for the damage caused, according to her son Robert.
Ms Phillips told : ‘You can imagine six months with no daylight at all. I had to keep the light on all the time in doors.’
‘It was very depressing and makes it hard to enjoy. I’ve had no spring and now all my plants ruined.’
The 86-year-old who has suffered with heart failure and struggles with her balance recent years, explained it would be difficult for her to restore the garden alone.
‘I can’t climb around the garden like I used to, trying to balance and stepping down – is going to be a challenge,’ she said.
The retired cost and financial analyst said she looks forward to being able to ‘enjoy flowers’ in her garden again provided ‘the old ticker hangs on’.
‘It would be such a treat you’ve got no idea, to lose a complete like a complete year at any age is awful,’ she added.
Ms Phillips, who lost her son a few weeks ago, believes it will ‘take more time’ than she has left to return her pride and joy to its previous state.
‘At this age, you don’t know whether you’re going to be around for the next spring, especially after losing my dear son who was only 60.’
After waiting since she moved into the home 27 years ago, Ms Phillips will finally get new insulation as well as being promised other upgrades to the home by the council.
As well as insulation, the council has agreed to install new windows and doors as a part thanks to Warm Homes funding.
They have also promised to do work to her kitchen, which has been crumbling for decades.
The council have also said they would install automatic street lighting in the alleyway so residents can feel safer walking home on dimly light winter evenings.
‘It was definitely persistence that was needed, because if you let things go for even a small amount of time and you don’t chase them up, you don’t get things done,’ she said.
However it wasn’t only her garden that was destroyed, the scaffolding also spelled the end of her security system installed by her son, Robert Phillips, 62.
Although it has been agreed a new one will be set up by her council, her doting son is still left feeling worried for his mother.
He said: ‘I still feel uneasy the fact that she doesn’t have any camera system at all. It worries me because I was able to monitor the outside as well.’
Robert compared the devastation left in the garden to a ‘bomb site’, adding: ‘It has been absolutely ruined.
‘Its heart-breaking for me to see my mum – who loved and cared for her garden so much have it devastated in the way that it has been.
‘Its been a really difficult time for her to deal with a death in the family and of her son – my brother – as well.’
He added: ‘A lot of promises have been made we have to wait and see whether that will happen and if she will live to enjoy it, and if it will be back to how she deserves.’
Robert explained that his mother’s home became ‘like a prison’ as she continued to live for months without natural daylight.
‘I had to stay close to her because otherwise I think she would have crumbled under the pressure with the lack of light,’ he said.
‘It’s had a massive effect on her mental health.’
Divulging the state of disrepair the council-owned home fell into, Robert revealed his mother had been living in ‘atrocious conditions’ and had become so used to the smell of damp that she no longer noticed it.
‘She’s from a generation of people born not long after the war where they are grateful for anything but she was living in quite atrocious conditions,’ he said.
‘You could smell the damp when you visited there but of course she became blind to that smell because it was normal for her.’
Reflecting on how the former St John’s ambulance volunteer was treated by the council, Robert revealed the ordeal has put him off staying in the UK in his older age.
‘When you see someone who has given so much service to the community being treated with such contempt – and it can only be contempt – it’s very upsetting and distressing,’ he said.
A Slough spokesperson said: ‘We are sorry for the delay to the original works. Our contractor has been, and continues to be, in regular contact with the residents involved to keep them up to date with the timings of the works.
‘The alarm has been refixed, and the area has been cleared of all debris. Jet washing has already commenced and we will be returning to the property to complete the cleaning and levelling of paving.
‘As agreed with Pat, the garden will be reinstated as soon as the works are completed in mid-January, with new plants chosen by herself. Our contractor will then further enhance the garden with spring and summer plants when the weather improves.
‘The new kitchen has been designed and is ready to be installed, at Pat’s request, in February 2025.
‘Our contractor will remain in regular contact with Pat to ensure she feels happy with all the work as it is completed and she can fully enjoy her garden once again.’